Friedrich Miesher’s life path and contribution to science

Abstract

The article discusses the main stages of life and activity of the famous Swiss organic chemist, Friedrich Miescher (August 13, 1844 – August 26, 1895), who was the first to isolate and describe the structure of the DNA molecule. F. Miescher was born in a family of scientists and doctors, studied medicine at the University of Basel (Switzerland), but did not become a practicing doctor. He mostly conducted his scientific research in the biochemical laboratory of Felix Hoppe-Zeyler in Tübingen (Germany). The object of the scientist's research was leukocytes, from the nuclei of which he managed to isolate a precipitate insoluble in most of the solvents known at that time. In 1869, F. Miescher obtained a molecule that he named nuclein (DNA). In the course of research, the scientist established its composition, some properties, and molecular weight, but was unable to describe its functions. Subsequently, F. Miescher discovered the presence of nucleic in the cells of other tissues, in the spermatozoa of many species of animals. At the Institute of Physiology of the University of Leipzig (Germany) in the laboratory of Karl Ludwig Friedrich Miescher studied the nerve pathways that transmit pain signals in the spinal cord. In 1871, the scientist completed his habilitation for the position of a professor at Basel University; he chose physiology of breathing as the topic of his work. F. Mischer continued to study the features of spermatozoa and oocytes; developed a number of theories regarding understanding of the processes of fertilization and transmission of hereditary traits, which, due to the lack of knowledge at the time, were quite speculative. In 1885, the scientist founded and headed the first in Switzerland Institute of Anatomy and Physiology in Vesalian, where he worked for 10 years. Friedrich Miescher died at the age of 52, before the results of his discovery were recognized. Only in 1944 it was proved that the DNA molecule is the carrier of genetic information. Most of the results of F. Miescher's scientific work were published after his death by his uncle, the famous Swiss anatomist Wilhelm His.