Waksman emigrated to the United States in 1910 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1916. A professor of biochemistry and microbiology at Rutgers University for four decades, he discovered several antibiotics (and introduced the modern sense of that word to name them), and he introduced procedures that have led to the development of many others. The proceeds earned from the licensing of his patents funded a foundation for microbiological research, which established the Waksman Institute of Microbiology located at the Rutgers University Busch Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey (USA). After receiving the Nobel Prize, Waksman and his foundation later were sued by Albert Schatz, one of his Ph.D. students and the discoverer of streptomycin, for minimizing Schatz's role in the discovery.
Vida y carrera
In 2005, Waksman was granted an ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark in recognition of the significant work of his lab in isolating more than 15 antibiotics, including streptomycin, which was the first effective treatment for tuberculosis.
Datos clave
- Born: July 22, 1888 in Nova Pryluka, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire
- Fallecimiento: 1973
- Campo: Science
Legado e impacto
The influence of Selman Waksman extends far beyond his own lifetime. He fundamentally shaped our understanding of the natural world, and his discoveries and theories remain foundational to this day.
Though he passed away in 1973, his ideas continue to be studied, debated, and built upon by scholars and practitioners worldwide.
Selman Waksman sigue siendo una de las mentes más celebradas surgidas de Russia, prueba del rico legado intelectual de la región.
Genios destacados de Russia
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