1. Alexander Fleming (1881-1955):
- Scottish bacteriologist and pharmacologist.
- Discovered penicillin in 1928, leading to the development of antibiotics and a revolution in treating infectious diseases.
2. Jonas Salk (1914-1995):
- American virologist and physician.
- Developed one of the first successful polio vaccines, which drastically reduced the incidence of poliomyelitis worldwide.
3. Barbara McClintock (1902-1992):
- American geneticist and cytogeneticist.
- Discovered transposable elements, or "jumping genes," and the genetic basis of gene regulation and mutation, contributing to our understanding of genetics and disease.
4. Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958):
- English chemist and X-ray crystallographer.
- Made crucial contributions to understanding the molecular structure of DNA, providing essential data for the discovery of its double helix structure.
5. Marie Curie (1867-1934):
- Polish and French physicist and chemist.
- Pioneered the field of radioactivity, discovered radium and polonium, and advanced the use of X-rays in medicine and oncology.
6. Edward Jenner (1749-1823):
- English physician and scientist.
- Developed the smallpox vaccine, marking the beginning of immunology and paving the way for vaccination against other infectious diseases.
7. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895):
- French chemist and microbiologist.
- Made fundamental contributions to understanding pasteurization, fermentation, and immunization, leading to significant advancements in food safety, vaccination, and germ theory.
8. Joseph Lister (1827-1912):
- British surgeon and pioneer of antiseptic surgery.
- Developed practices like using carbolic acid as an antiseptic and sterile surgical instruments, significantly reducing infection rates during surgery.
9. Robert Koch (1843-1910):
- German physician and microbiologist.
- Developed Koch's postulates, which establish the criteria for identifying the specific causative agent of an infectious disease.
10. Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910):
- English physician and pioneering female medical educator.
- First woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, advocating for women's education in medicine and contributing to the advancement of women's rights in healthcare.