Esther Lederberg American microbiologist and pioneer of bacterial genetics Date of Birth: 18.12.1922 Country: USA

1. Biography of Esther Lederberg
2. Early Life and Education
3. Research and Contributions
4. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Esther Lederberg

Esther Miriam Zimmer Lederberg, born on December 18, 1922, in Bronx, New York, was an American microbiologist and a pioneer in bacterial genetics. She made significant contributions to the field of science, including the discovery of the lambda bacteriophage, the detection of gene transfer between bacterial cells using bacteriophages (transduction), the development of replica plating technique, and the discovery of the F factor in bacterial reproduction.

Early Life and Education

Esther was the first of two children born to David Zimmer and Pauline Geller Zimmer. Her brother Benjamin was born a year later. Growing up during the Great Depression, Esther often had a simple breakfast of bread and tomato juice. Despite facing hardships, she excelled in her studies and received several awards for her achievements in French at her school in Bronx, which she graduated from at the age of 16. In her senior years, Esther began working at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) and assisted Bernard Ogilvie Dodge in his research on Neurospora crassa.

Esther earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hunter College in 1942, graduating with honors at the age of 20. After college, she became a research assistant to Alexander Hollaender at the Carnegie Institution, where she developed an interest in bacterial genetics. In 1944, she won a scholarship to Stanford University, where she worked as an assistant to George Wells Beadle. In 1946, Esther earned a Master of Arts degree from Stanford.

Research and Contributions

Remaining at the University of Wisconsin in the 1950s, Esther made significant discoveries in bacterial genetics. She discovered the lambda phage, the F factor, and laid the foundation for studying the connection between transduction and the lysogeny of the lambda phage. In 1959, Esther and Joshua continued their scientific careers at Stanford. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1966. From 1976 to 1985, Lederberg led the Plasmid Reference Center, where various types of plasmids, including genes encoding antibiotic resistance and resistance to heavy metals, high and low temperatures, were stored.

Later Life and Legacy

Esther left the Microbiology and Immunology Department at Stanford in 1985. She remarried Matthew Simon in 1993. Apart from her scientific pursuits, Esther had interests in music and literature. Throughout her life, she was a dedicated fan of early music and played various instruments. She was one of the founding members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra (MPRO) and served as its leader for many years. Frederick Palmer, the musical director of MPRO, described Esther as a committed member who rarely missed rehearsals and insisted on playing in concerts, even when her mobility was limited.

Esther Lederberg passed away on November 11, 2006, at the age of 84, due to pneumonia and congestive heart failure. Her groundbreaking research and contributions to bacterial genetics continue to influence the field today.