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Camillo GolgiItalian histologist, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906 (jointly with S. Ramon y Cajal)
Date of Birth: 17.07.1843
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Camillo Golgi: A Nobel Laureate in Neuroscience
- Education and Research
- Golgi Method
- Professorship and Discoveries
- Malaria Research
- Teaching and Legacy
- Death and Burial
- Casa Golgi
Camillo Golgi: A Nobel Laureate in Neuroscience
Birth and Early LifeCamillo Golgi was born on July 7, 1843, in the village of Corteno, Brescia, in the Austrian Empire. Now known as Corteno Golgi in honor of the future Nobel laureate, his father, a prominent physician, greatly influenced his career path.
Education and Research
Golgi studied at the University of Pavia, where he worked in the experimental pathology laboratory under Giulio Bizzozero. In 1865, he graduated from the university and dedicated much of his career to studying the human central nervous system.
Golgi Method
In the absence of adequate staining methods, Golgi experimented with metallic impregnations of neural tissue, primarily using silver. He developed a method for selectively staining individual neurons and nerve cells using a silver nitrate solution that revealed cellular division. Initially called the "black reaction," this technique became known as the Golgi Method or Golgi Stain.
Professorship and Discoveries
Golgi held professorships in histology at the University of Pavia and in Siena before returning to Pavia in 1881 to succeed Bizzozero as Chair of General Pathology.
Malaria Research
While working at St. Matthew's Hospital, Golgi became interested in malaria. His studies on the disease led to the identification of three types of fever and three forms of malarial parasites. He elucidated the life cycle of malaria parasites and linked the timing of three-day and four-day malarial fevers to the life cycles of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae, respectively.
Teaching and Legacy
Golgi's teaching was renowned for its inclusiveness, welcoming students of all backgrounds to his laboratory. He founded the Institute of Serotherapy and Vaccination in the province of Pavia and served as university rector.
In 1906, Golgi and Santiago Ramón y Cajal were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their research on the structure of the nervous system.
Death and Burial
Golgi died in Pavia, Italy, on January 21, 1926. His grave lies at the Monumental Cemetery of Pavia, on the central alley facing the large monument to the fallen of World War I. A simple granite slab with a bronze medallion bearing his profile marks his final resting place alongside notable medical figures Bartolomeo Panizza and Adelchi Negri.
Casa Golgi
"Casa Golgi," located a few hundred meters from the University of Pavia, is a historical site dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Italian physician. This house was Golgi's family home, where he lived with his wife, Lina.
