Georgios Papanikolaou
Greek pathologist (1883–1962)
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Key Takeaways
- Georgios Nikolaou Papanikolaou (or George Papanicolaou ; Greek: Γεώργιος Ν.
- After studying medicine in Greece and Germany, in 1913 he emigrated to the United States and was on the faculty at Cornell Medical College.
- An extensive trial of his techniques was carried out in the early 1950s.
- Early life and education Papanikolaou was born in Kymi, Greece, on 13 May 1883.
- Urged by his physician father, he pursued a medical degree, which he received in 1904.
Georgios Nikolaou Papanikolaou (or George Papanicolaou ; Greek: Γεώργιος Ν. Παπανικολάου [papanikoˈlau]; 13 May 1883 – 19 February 1962) was a Greek physician, zoologist and microscopist who was a pioneer in cytopathology and early cancer detection, and inventor of the pap smear for detection of cervical cancer.
After studying medicine in Greece and Germany, in 1913 he emigrated to the United States and was on the faculty at Cornell Medical College. He first reported that uterine cancer cells could be detected in vaginal smears in 1928, but his work was not widely recognized until the 1940s. An extensive trial of his techniques was carried out in the early 1950s. In 1961 he was invited to the University of Miami to lead and develop there the Papanicolaou Cancer Research Institute.
Early life and education
Papanikolaou was born in Kymi, Greece, on 13 May 1883. He attended the University of Athens, where he studied literature, philosophy, languages and music. Urged by his physician father, he pursued a medical degree, which he received in 1904. He was then conscripted into military service. When his military obligation ended in 1906, he returned to Kymi to practice medicine with his father.
In 1907 he began studying in Germany under Ernst Haeckel at the University of Jena for one semester before moving to the University of Freiburg, where he was supervised by August Weismann. He then attended the University of Munich, where in 1910 he received a PhD degree in zoology.
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