The American Poultry Hall of Fame recently welcomed a six-decade bird watcher: NIU professor W. Elwood Briles.

His induction honors nearly 60 years of work in the poultry industry — mostly studying genetic makeup and inherited traits of chickens, as well as discovering disease-resistant genes that poultry producers find extremely beneficial today.

The award, given out every three years to a maximum of five people, covers Briles’ various career achievements.

“Naturally, you’re not going to get into a hall of fame unless you’ve had a productive background, so this kind of highlights the achievement of a professional period,” said Briles, 83.

Specializing in immunology, immunogenetics and molecular genetics, Briles arrived at NIU in 1970 and since has compiled nearly $2 million in grant money for the university.

“I joined the biology department to teach an immunology course that had never been taught as a course,” Briles said. “We transferred research from the DeKalb Agricultural Association and developed the tools to offer an immunology course at NIU.”

In nearly 32 years at NIU, Briles has submitted papers at international meetings, most related to his research on chicken blood groups and the discovery of Marek’s Disease, a cancer found in birds. He traces his discovery of 10 out of 11 blood groups in chickens to studies of human blood groups.

Though he retired in 1987, Briles, his wife Ruth and other researchers still study chickens’ blood groups and diseases.

“I am continuing to collaborate with several other universities, researching further the blood groups in chickens,” Briles said. “We are also studying other possible disease resistances within chickens.”

Briles, who received the news of his induction around Christmas, also is working with four NIU graduate students, continuing to teach immunology.

The award ceremony was Jan. 18, but a colleague attended in Briles’ place because he had to conduct an important experiment.

He was nominated by Robert L. Taylor Jr., an immunologist at the University of New Hampshire and Briles’ partner in research related to the discoveries. Briles said Taylor found out first about the award, but wasn’t the person who first told Briles.

“Dr. Taylor called me and told me that I was going to get [the award], “Briles said. “He sent the word out to 20 research department sponsors within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But many of those 20 researchers contacted me before Dr. Taylor had the opportunity.”

Teamwork and international acclaim are two factors Taylor believes made Briles an easy choice for the hall of fame.

“Dr. Briles continues an impressive, internationally renowned career which has spanned 55 years,” Taylor said. “He has been an unselfish collaborator on numerous analyses.”