The discovery of penicillin, which revolutionized medicine, is attributed to:

Key Points

• Alexander Fleming is credited with the discovery of penicillin.
• Penicillin was discovered in 1928 when Fleming observed that the mold Penicillium notatum produced a substance that killed a wide range of bacteria.
• This discovery revolutionized medicine as it led to the development of antibiotics, which have saved countless lives.
• Fleming's work earned him a share of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945, which he shared with Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain, who further developed penicillin for use as a medicine.

Additional Information

• Robert Koch is known for his work on tuberculosis.
• Jonas Salk developed the first successful polio vaccine.
• Louis Pasteur is renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization.
• Penicillin's discovery marked the beginning of the antibiotic era, fundamentally changing the treatment of bacterial infections.