Microbe Hunters

Main Characters and Their Development

• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: A Dutch tradesman and self-taught scientist who first discovered microbes using microscopes he made himself. His observations laid the foundation for microbiology.
• Louis Pasteur: A French chemist and microbiologist who developed the germ theory, which became the basis for asepsis and antiseptics. His work on developing vaccines against rabies and anthrax saved many lives.
• Robert Koch: A German physician and microbiologist who discovered the causative agents of tuberculosis and cholera, earning him a Nobel Prize. His work greatly advanced the understanding of infectious diseases.
• Paul Ehrlich: A German scientist who worked in immunology and chemotherapy. He discovered the first drug for treating syphilis, becoming a pioneer of chemotherapy.
• Alexander Fleming: A Scottish bacteriologist who discovered penicillin. His discovery of antibiotics saved millions of lives worldwide.
• Ilya Mechnikov: A Russian biologist who worked in immunology and discovered phagocytosis. He received a Nobel Prize for his contributions to medicine.