Russian born United States biochemist, Waksman won the 1952 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the antibiotic streptomycin.
He was one of the world’s foremost authorities on soil microbiology.
Waksman, Selman Abraham was born in Pryluky, Ukraine. With the aid of private tutors he received a diploma from the Fifth Gymnasium in Odessa, Ukraine.
After immigrating to the USA in 1910, Waksman studied at Rutgers University, where he received a BS in agriculture in 1915 and MS in 1916.
He received a PhD in biochemistry in 1918 from the University of California.
He returned to Rutgers as a lecturer in soil microbiology, becoming professor (1930 – 40) and then professor of microbiology (1940 – 58). He was made emeritus professor on his retirement in 1958.
Waksman’s special field was soil microbiology, in particular the role of fungi and bacteria in the decomposition of organic matter and humus formation. He wrote Principles of Soil Microbiology (1927), one of the most comprehensive works on the subject at that time.
In 1940 he isolated actinomycin which like penicillin was to toxic to several strains of bacteria.
Waksman discovered that actinomycin was toxic to animals as well, disqualifying it as treatment for bacterial infections in humans.
In 1941 he coined the term ‘antibiotic’ for any substance toxic to bacteria.
In 1944 he announced the discovery of streptomycin, which he had isolated from Streptomyces griseus. Unlike actinomycin, streptomycin was safe for human use.
This was the first safe antibiotic found that was effective against Gram-negative bacteria, including the species responsible for tuberculosis, which are resistant to penicillin.
He later discovered another antibiotic, neomycin, obtained from Streptomyces fradiae. This is used to treat bowel infections and local skin or eye infections.
Waksman retried form his chair as head of the Waksman Institute in 1958 but maintained an office and small laboratory.
Biography of Waksman, Selman Abraham (July 22, 1888 – August 16, 1973)
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