Hilary Koprowski, 96, the man who developed the first polio vaccine and helped improve the rabies vaccine for humans, has died.

Koprowski’s health has been declining over the recent month, and after suffering from pneumonia Koprowski died at home in Wynnewood.

He worked as a virologist and a former director of the Wistar Institute. In addition, he also worked as a director of Biotechnology Foundation Laboratories Inc. at Thomas Jefferson University. Throughout his life Koprowski also published more than 875 scientific publications. He was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.