Selman Waksman

Selman Abraham Waksman (July

22, 1888 – August 16, 1973) was a Selman Waksman
Jewish American inventor, Nobel
Prize laureate, biochemist and
microbiologist whose research into
the decomposition of organisms
that live in soil enabled the
discovery of streptomycin and
several other antibiotics. A
professor of biochemistry and
microbiology at Rutgers University
for four decades, he discovered
several antibiotics (and introduced
the modern sense of that word to
name them), and he introduced
Waksman in 1953
procedures that have led to the
development of many others. The Born July 22, 1888
proceeds earned from the licensing Nova Pryluka, Kyiv Governorate, Russian Empire
of his patents funded a foundation (now Ukraine)
for microbiological research, Died August 16, 1973 (aged 85)
which established the Waksman Woods Hole, Massachusetts, US
Institute of Microbiology located at Citizenship United States
the Rutgers University Busch Alma mater Rutgers University
Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey University of California, Berkeley
(USA). In 1952, he was awarded
Spouse Deborah B. Mitnik (died 1974)
the Nobel Prize in Physiology or
Medicine for "ingenious, Children Byron H. Waksman (1919–2012)[1]
systematic, and successful studies Awards Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1948)
of the soil microbes that led to the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1952)
discovery of streptomycin." Leeuwenhoek Medal (1950)
Waksman and his foundation later
Scientific career
were sued by Albert Schatz, one of
Fields Biochemistry and Microbiology
his Ph.D. students and the
discoverer of streptomycin, for Doctoral T. Brailsford Robertson
minimizing Schatz's role in the advisor
discovery.[2]
In 2005, Selman Waksman was granted an ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark in recognition of
the significant work of his lab in isolating more than 15 antibiotics, including streptomycin, which was
the first effective treatment for tuberculosis.[3]

Early life and education

Selman Waksman was born on July 22, 1888 (July 8 according to the old Russian calendar[4]), to Jewish
parents, in Nova Pryluka, Kyiv Governorate, Russian Empire,[5] now Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine. He was
the son of Fradia (London) and Jacob Waksman.[6] In 1910, shortly after receiving his diploma from the
Fifth Gymnasium in Odesa, he immigrated to the United States and became a naturalized American
citizen six years later.[7]

Waksman attended Rutgers College (now Rutgers University), where he graduated in 1915 with a
Bachelor of Science in agriculture. He continued his studies at Rutgers, receiving a Master of Science the
following year, in 1916. During his graduate study, he worked under J. G. Lipman at the New Jersey
Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers performing research in soil bacteriology. Waksman spent
some months in 1915–1916 at the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC under
Charles Thom, studying soil fungi.[8]: 44–48 He was appointed as a research fellow at the University of
California, Berkeley, and in 1918 he was awarded his doctor of philosophy in biochemistry.

Career
He joined the faculty at Rutgers University in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology.

At Rutgers, Waksman's team discovered several antibiotics, including actinomycin, clavacin,

streptothricin, streptomycin, grisein, neomycin, fradicin, candicidin, candidin. Waksman co-discovered
streptomycin with Albert Schatz. Streptomycin was the first effective drug against gram-negative
bacteria[3] and the first antibiotic used to cure tuberculosis. Waksman is credited with coining the term
antibiotics to describe antibacterials derived from other living organisms, for example penicillin, though
the term was used by the French dermatologist François Henri Hallopeau, in 1871 to describe a substance
opposed to the development of life.

In 1931, Waksman organized the division of Marine Bacteriology at the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution (WHOI) in addition to his task at Rutgers.[6] He was appointed a marine bacteriologist there
and served until 1942. He was elected a trustee at WHOI and finally a Life Trustee.
In 1951,[9] using half of his patent royalties, Waksman created the Waksman Foundation for
Microbiology.[10] At a meeting of the board of trustees of the foundation, held in July 1951, he urged the
building of a facility for work in microbiology, named the Waksman Institute of Microbiology, which is
located on the Busch Campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. The foundation's first
president, Waksman, was succeeded in this position by his son, Byron H. Waksman, from 1970 to 2000.

Research

Streptomycin
Waksman had been studying the Streptomyces family of organisms since his college student days and
had, for a time, been studying the organism Streptomyces griseus. Streptomycin was isolated from S.
griseus and found effective against tuberculosis by one of Waksman's graduate students, Albert
Schatz.[11] These results were later confirmed by Elizabeth Bugie Gregory, whose name was also
published on "Streptomycin, a Substance Exhibiting Antibiotic Activity Against Gram-Positive and
Gram-Negative Bacteria" with Schatz and Waksman.[12] However, Bugie's name was not on the second
key paper in 1944, which was regarding the efficacy of streptomycin against tuberculosis in test tubes, as
Schatz claimed Bugie was not involved with the experiment.[12] Bugie was also not given credit for her
work on streptomycin, nor was she listed on the patent proposal, as she signed an affidavit stating that she
did not have any contribution in discovering streptomycin.[13] This was submitted under an attorney of
the Rutgers Research and Endowment Foundation.

Controversy
The details and credit for the discovery of streptomycin and its usefulness as an antibiotic were strongly
contested by Albert Schatz, leading to litigation in 1950.[14] However, it was possible that Waksman did
not see Schatz's contribution as significantly as Schatz saw his contributions. Waksman noted that Schatz
was away at the military in 1943, adding that he was only in the lab for three months and only played a
small role in discovering streptomycin.[15][12] Waksman and Rutgers settled out of court with Schatz,
resulting in financial remuneration and entitlement to "legal and scientific credit as co-discoverer of
streptomycin."[16][17] Schatz was awarded $120,000 for patent rights and 3% of royalties.[18] The Lancet
claimed that "the Nobel committee made a considerable mistake by failing to recognize Schatz's
contribution."[19]

Systematic experiments to test several strains of antibiotics against several different disease organisms
were underway in Waksman's laboratory at the time. Their classic approach was to explore a complete
matrix with rows consisting of antibiotics and columns consisting of different diseases. The bacteria
which produced the antibiotic streptomycin were discovered by Schatz in the farmland outside his lab and
tested by him.[16] Waksman, however, eventually came to claim sole credit for the discovery.
The controversy of streptomycin between Waksman and Schatz brought to light the challenges of
distributing credit for scientific research, discoveries, and patents.[2] It prompted schools and universities
to become more involved in the patenting process and to have more regulations on how credit is
dispersed. Schools would also provide clearer lines for each individual's role in a lab to minimize future
litigations against the school.[2]

Neomycin
Neomycin is derived from actinomycetes and was discovered by Waksman and Hubert A. Lechevalier,
one of Waksman's graduate students. The discovery was published in the journal Science.[20]

Marine bacteria
Waksman's research also examined the role of bacteria in marine systems, with a particular focus on the
role of bacteria in nutrient cycles. Waksman examined the degradation of alginic acid,[21] cellulose,[22]
and zooplankton.[23] Waksman, working with Cornelia Carey, Margaret Hotchkiss, Yvette Hardman, and
Donald Johnston, conducted multiple studies on the actions of bacteria in marine systems which included
quantifying the abundance[24] and viability of bacteria in seawater.,[25] examining the impact of copper
on bacterial growth,[26] estimating the impact of bacterial activity on the nitrogen cycle,[27][28] and a
separation of bacteria into groups based on habitat use in seawater, on plankton, or in the sediments.[29]

Other tributes involve anti-fouling paint for the Navy, the use of enzymes in laundry detergents, and the
practice of Concord grape rootstock to safeguard French vineyards from fungal infections.

Awards and honors

Waksman acquired many awards and honors, including the Nobel Prize in 1952; the Star of the Rising
Sun granted to him by the emperor of Japan, and the rank of Commandeur in the French Légion
d'honneur.[5][30][31] During his Nobel Prize award presentation, Waksman was called "one of the greatest
benefactors to mankind," as the result of his discovery of streptomycin.[32] Schatz protested being left out
of the award, even sending a letter to Gustaf VI Adolf, the King of Sweden, but the State did not have any
influence over the Nobel Prize Committee's decision and they ruled that he was a mere lab assistant
working under a scientist.[15][16]

The Selman A. Waksman Award in Microbiology of the National Academy of Sciences is given in his
honor.[33]

Publications
Selman Waksman was the author or co-author of over 400 scientific papers, as well as 28 books[5] and 14
scientific pamphlets.

Enzymes (1926)
Humus: origin, chemical composition, and importance in nature (1936, 1938)
Principles of Soil Microbiology (1927, 1932)
 My Life with the Microbes (1954) (an autobiography)

Personal life
Waksman was married to Deborah B. Mitnik. They had one son, Byron H. Waksman, M.D., who was an
assistant professor at Harvard University Medical School, and Professor of Microbiology at Yale
University Medical School.[6]

Selman Waksman died on August 16, 1973, at a Hyannis, Massachusetts, hospital and was interred at the
Woods Hole Village Cemetery in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.[5]

See also
List of Jewish Nobel laureates

References
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7. (ru)// Виталий Орлов. Зельман Ваксман — открыватель препарата против туберкулеза
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9. "Foundation History" ([Link]
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11. Andrew Jack (April 14, 2012). "Germ warfare" ([Link]
[Link]#axzz1s0Q17zi3). Financial Times.
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13. "Obiturary: Elizabeth Gregory / Did McCandless woman get a fair shake for the role in the
discovery of streptomycin?" ([Link]
[Link]/obituaries/[Link]). [Link]. Archived from the
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Retrieved 2021-12-21.
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p://[Link]/njh/SciANDTech/Waksman/[Link]). [Link]. Archived
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15. Milton., Wainwright (1991). Streptomycin : discovery and resultant controversy ([Link]
[Link]/oclc/1101806541). [Verlag nicht ermittelbar]. OCLC 1101806541 ([Link]
[Link]/oclc/1101806541).
16. Pringle, Peter (June 11, 2012). "Notebooks Shed Light on a Discovery, and a Mentor's
Betrayal" ([Link]
[Link]). The New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
17. Mistiaen, Veronique (November 2, 2002). "Time, and the great healer" ([Link]
[Link]/weekend/story/0,3605,823114,[Link]). The Guardian. London. Retrieved
April 13, 2010. "The story of streptomycin – of scientific triumphs, all-too-human scientists
and a long quest for justice – lies somewhere between these two men."
18. TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (1950-12-30). "Dr. Schatz Wins 3% of Royalty; Named
Co-Finder of Streptomycin; KEY FIGURES IN STREPTOMYCIN DISCOVERY SUIT" (http
s://[Link]/1950/12/30/archives/dr-schatz-wins-3-of-royalty-named-cofinder-of-str
[Link]). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 ([Link]
n/0362-4331). Retrieved 2022-10-03.
19. The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2005-11-01). "The Nobel cause" ([Link]
[Link]/science/article/pii/S1473309905702450). The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 5 (11): 665.
doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(05)70245-0 ([Link]
245-0). ISSN 1473-3099 ([Link] PMID 16253880 (http
s://[Link]/16253880).
20. Waksman, S. A.; Lechevalier, H. A. (1949-03-25). "Neomycin, a New Antibiotic Active
against Streptomycin-Resistant Bacteria, including Tuberculosis Organisms" ([Link]
[Link]/doi/10.1126/science.109.2830.305). Science. 109 (2830): 305–307.
Bibcode:1949Sci...109..305W ([Link]
doi:10.1126/science.109.2830.305 ([Link]
ISSN 0036-8075 ([Link] PMID 17782716 ([Link]
[Link]/17782716).
21. Waksman, S. A.; Carey, C. L.; Allen, M. C. (1934). "Bacteria Decomposing Alginic Acid" (http
s://[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC533668). Journal of Bacteriology. 28 (2): 213–
220. doi:10.1128/jb.28.2.213-220.1934 ([Link]
ISSN 0021-9193 ([Link] PMC 533668 ([Link]
[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC533668). PMID 16559742 ([Link]
16559742).
22. Waksman, S. A.; Carey, C. (1926). "The Use of the Silica Gel Plate for Demonstrating the
Occurrence and Abundance of Cellulose-Decomposing Bacteria" ([Link]
ov/pmc/articles/PMC374888). Journal of Bacteriology. 12 (2): 87–95.
doi:10.1128/jb.12.2.87-95.1926 ([Link]
ISSN 0021-9193 ([Link] PMC 374888 ([Link]
[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC374888). PMID 16559206 ([Link]
16559206).
23. Waksman, Selman A.; Carey, Cornelia L.; Reuszer, Herbert W. (1933-08-01). "Marine
bacteria and their rôle in the cycle of life in the sea: i. decomposition of marine plant and
animal residues by bacteria" ([Link] The
Biological Bulletin. 65 (1): 57–79. doi:10.2307/1537188 ([Link]
8). ISSN 0006-3185 ([Link] JSTOR 1537188 (https://
[Link]/stable/1537188).
24. Waksman, S. A.; Carey, C. L. (1935). "Decomposition of Organic Matter in Sea Water by
Bacteria: II. Influence of Addition of Organic Substances upon Bacterial Activities" ([Link]
[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC543620). Journal of Bacteriology. 29 (5): 545–561.
doi:10.1128/jb.29.5.545-561.1935 ([Link]
ISSN 0021-9193 ([Link] PMC 543620 ([Link]
[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC543620). PMID 16559809 ([Link]
16559809).
25. Waksman, S. A.; Hotchkiss, M. (1937). "Viability of Bacteria in Sea Water" ([Link]
[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC545103). Journal of Bacteriology. 33 (4): 389–400.
doi:10.1128/jb.33.4.389-400.1937 ([Link]
ISSN 0021-9193 ([Link] PMC 545103 ([Link]
[Link]/pmc/articles/PMC545103). PMID 16560007 ([Link]
16560007).
26. Waksman, Selman A.; Johnston, Donald B.; Carey, Cornelia A. (1943). "The effect of copper
upon the development of bacteria in seawater and the isolation of specific bacteria" ([Link]
[Link]/publications/jmr/[Link]) (PDF). Journal of Marine
Research. 5 (2–06): 136–152.
27. Waksman, S. A.; Hotchkiss, M.; Carey, C. L.; Hardman, Y. (1938). "Decomposition of
Nitrogenous Substances in Sea Water by Bacteria" ([Link]
es/PMC545432). Journal of Bacteriology. 35 (5): 477–486. doi:10.1128/jb.35.5.477-
486.1938 ([Link] ISSN 0021-9193 ([Link]
[Link]/issn/0021-9193). PMC 545432 ([Link]
C545432). PMID 16560120 ([Link]
28. Waksman, Selman A.; Hotchkiss, Margaret; Carey, Cornelia L. (1933-10-01). "Marine
bacteria and their rôle in the cycle of life in the sea: ii. bacteria concerned in the cycle of
nitrogen in the sea" ([Link] The
Biological Bulletin. 65 (2): 137–167. doi:10.2307/1537170 ([Link]
70). ISSN 0006-3185 ([Link] JSTOR 1537170 (https://
[Link]/stable/1537170).
29. Waksman, Selman A.; Reuszer, H. W.; Carey, Cornelia L.; Hotchkiss, Margaret; Renn, C. E.
(1933-04-01). "Studies on the biology and chemistry of the Gulf of Maine : iii. bacteriological
investigations of the seawater and marine bottoms" ([Link]
0.2307/1537228). The Biological Bulletin. 64 (2): 183–205. doi:10.2307/1537228 ([Link]
org/10.2307%2F1537228). ISSN 0006-3185 ([Link]
JSTOR 1537228 ([Link]
30. "Dr. Selman Waksman" ([Link]
[Link]/Waks/Waksman/[Link]). The Waksman Institute at Rutgers (No further
authorship information available). Archived from the original ([Link]
ks/Waksman/[Link]) on April 18, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
31. "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1952" ([Link]
medicine/laureates/1952/). [Link]. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
32. "[Link]" ([Link]
ml). [Link]. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
33. "Selman A Walksman Award" ([Link]
[Link]/site/PageServer?pagename=AWARDS_waksman). Archived from the original (htt
p://[Link]/site/PageServer?pagename=AWARDS_waksman) on April 20, 2012.
Retrieved July 29, 2012.

External links
Selman Waksman ([Link] on [Link] including the
Nobel Lecture December 12, 1952 Streptomycin: Background, Isolation, Properties, and
Utilization
Waksman Foundation for Microbiology ([Link]
[Link]/)
"Streptomycin, Schatz v. Waksman, and the Balance of Credit for Discovery" ([Link]
[Link]/journals/journal_of_the_history_of_medicine_and_allied_sciences/v059/59.3kingston.
html)
Findagrave: Selman Waksman ([Link]
an&GSfn=selman&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=9533563&pt=Selman%20Abr
aham%20Waksman&)
The Waksman Institute of Microbiology at Rutgers University ([Link]
No Nobel for You – Top 10 Nobel Snubs ([Link]
obel-snubs/), Scientific American

Retrieved from "[Link]