Esther Lederberg

Esther Lederberg (December 18, 1922 - November 11, 2006) was an American microbiologist who was a pioneer in bacterial genetics. She is best known for discovering lambda phage, a virus that infects bacteria and became a fundamental tool in molecular biology. She also co-developed the replica plating technique with her husband, Joshua Lederberg, which allowed for efficient identification of bacterial mutations. Today, she is recognized as a key figure in the early development of modern genetics.