Giuseppe Brotzu

Giuseppe Brotzu (27 May 1895 – 8 April 1976) was an Italian pharmacologist and politician. He is best known for his discovery of the antibiotic cephalosporin in 1948.

Early Life and Education

Giuseppe Brotzu was born on 27 May 1895 in Cagliari, Sardinia. He completed his early education in his hometown before moving to Pisa for his higher studies. He graduated in medicine and surgery from the University of Pisa in 1919.

Career

After graduation, Brotzu worked as a military doctor during World War I. He then returned to Cagliari and started working at the University of Cagliari as a professor of hygiene. In 1936, he was appointed as the director of the Health Department of the Municipality of Cagliari.

In 1945, Brotzu was elected as the mayor of Cagliari and served in this position until 1948. During his tenure, he implemented several public health measures to improve the living conditions of the city's residents.

Discovery of Cephalosporin

In 1948, while working at the University of Cagliari, Brotzu discovered the antibiotic cephalosporin. He noticed that certain samples of the fungus Cephalosporium acremonium from sewage water were effective in killing bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, and Brucella. This led to the development of a new class of antibiotics known as cephalosporins.

Later Life and Death

Brotzu retired from the University of Cagliari in 1970. He continued to contribute to the field of pharmacology until his death on 8 April 1976.

Legacy

Brotzu's discovery of cephalosporin has had a significant impact on the field of pharmacology. Cephalosporins are widely used today to treat a variety of bacterial infections.

See Also

• Cephalosporin
• Pharmacology
• University of Cagliari

External Links

• Example Website