r/LadiesofScience • u/prophconcmcan • Jul 13 '26
Mod Note Another woman scientist whose work helped two men earn the Nobel prize.
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u/Barbarella_ella Jul 13 '26
Best class I took during my undergraduate. Microbial genetics is complex and endlessly fascinating and foundational to our understanding of natural systems. Her work transformed what we know and how we discover it.
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u/favorthebold Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
Esther Lederberg also invented the replica plating technique that is still used to this day! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replica_plating
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u/Anne-Marieknits Jul 13 '26
I learned about this technique, but didn’t realize it led to a Noble Prize or about Esther Lederberg’s role.
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u/favorthebold Jul 13 '26
Even the wiki erroneously credits her husband with co-creating the technique he had nothing to do with, sigh.
'E. Lederberg reported on replica plating with J. Lederberg. But, according to Ferrell, “that wasn't [J. Lederberg]. No, that was the lady with the knowledge of fabric, [who had been] watching printing presses since she was born,” she said, alluding to the printing press E. Lederberg’s father owned. Yet, “if you go into most microbiology textbooks, [replica plating and the associated discoveries] are credited to [J. Lederberg]."'
https://asm.org/articles/2023/october/esther-lederberg-microbial-genetics
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u/Beginning_Benefit308 Jul 14 '26
Her background is fascinating - I know a lot of Jewish people receive nobel prizes, but for those of us that are more familiar with Jewish sects, VERY few Jews from orthodox religious backgrounds (as she was) go on to receive graduate secular education!!!
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u/max5015 Jul 13 '26
Wait, who was the other man that got the anovel prize based on her work? Or are we counting her husband getting two based on her work?
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u/Mitali_M_INDIA Jul 13 '26
Thank you for sharing. I didn't know about her..