Selman waksman discovered

Selman Waksman

American microbiologist, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of streptomycin, the first effective anti-tuberculosis antibiotic
Date of Birth:
Country: USA

Content:
  1. Early Life and Education
  2. Career and Research
  3. Discovery of Streptomycin
  4. Other Antibiotic Discoveries
  5. Recognition and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Selman Abraham Waksman was born in Pryluky, Ukraine on July 22, In , he immigrated to the United States and pursued his education at Rutgers College of Agriculture in New Brunswick, New Jersey, graduating in He then earned a master's degree from the University of California in

Career and Research

In , Waksman became a professor of microbiology at Rutgers University.

In , he was appointed director of the Institute of Microbiology at the university.

Waksman's groundbreaking research focused on microbiology and antibiotics. He investigated the decomposition of plant and animal tissues, the nature and origin of humus, and soil and marine microorganisms.

Discovery of Streptomycin

In , the American Association for the Study of Tuberculosis commissioned Waksman to conduct a comprehensive search for producers of antimicrobial substances.

Selman waksman wiki Selman Abraham Waksman (July 22, – August 16, ) was a Jewish American inventor, Nobel Prize laureate, biochemist and microbiologist whose research into the decomposition of organisms that live in soil enabled the discovery of streptomycin and several other antibiotics.

While studying the death of tuberculosis bacteria in soil, he concluded that the disappearance of the bacilli was due to microbial antagonism, where one bacterium releases a substance that kills another. He coined the term "antibiotics" for such substances.

In , Waksman discovered streptomycin, a powerful antibiotic produced by fungi in the Actinomyces group.

It effectively complemented penicillin, killing bacteria that remained resistant to it. Trials at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester demonstrated its efficacy in treating previously incurable forms of tuberculosis.

Other Antibiotic Discoveries

In addition to streptomycin, Waksman isolated neomycin, candicidin, and other antibiotics.

He also authored numerous works, including "Enzymes" (), "The Soil and the Microbe" (), "Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Substances" (), and "My Life with the Microbes" ().

Recognition and Legacy

For his contributions to the field of microbiology and the discovery of streptomycin, Waksman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in He died on August 16, , leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking research and the development of life-saving antibiotics.