Georgios Papanicolaou (Physician) - On This Day

Full Name: Georgios Nikolaou Papanikolaou (known as Dr. Pap)
Profession: Physician and Inventor of the Pap Smear

Biography: Georgios Papanicolaou was a Greek cytologist and early cancer researcher who made an indelible contribution to medicine with the development of the Pap smear test. This simple yet revolutionary screening method for detecting precancerous and cancerous cells in the cervix has played a pivotal role in reducing the mortality rate of cervical cancer.

Papanicolaou initially studied music and the humanities before turning to medicine, earning his medical degree from the University of Athens. He subsequently earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Munich. His early work involved studying the reproductive cycle of guinea pigs, during which he noted cyclic cellular changes. This observation was important in its own right and for his later work.

While working at Cornell University in the United States, Papanicolaou started to study human cells. His groundbreaking discovery came when, during a research project in the 1920s, he noticed abnormal cells in a smear from a woman diagnosed with cervical cancer. This observation led him to develop the Pap smear, a test that collects cells from the cervix to screen for abnormalities.

Despite initial skepticism, Papanicolaou's method gained acceptance over time and has since become a routine part of women's health care worldwide. The Pap smear has saved countless lives by enabling early detection and treatment of cervical cancer. Papanicolaou's contributions received numerous accolades in his lifetime and he was even nominated for the Nobel Prize five times, though he never won the award.

Born: May 13, 1883
Birthplace: Kymi, Greece

Generation: Lost Generation
Star Sign: Taurus

Died: February 19, 1962 (aged 78)
Cause of Death: Myocardial infarction

Personal Life

• 1910-09-29 Greek physician and zoologist Georgios Papanicolaou (27) weds his future laboratory assistant and pap smear research subject Andromachi Mavrogeni in Athens

References

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