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Barbara McClintock

Barbara McClintock (June 16, 1902 - September 2, 1992) was an American geneticist and a pioneer in the study of maize, best known for discovering jumping genes or transposons—segments of DNA that can move within the genome. Her research showed that genetic material is not fixed but dynamic and subject to complex regulation, fundamentally changing the understanding of genetics. Although her findings were initially met with skepticism, they were later widely confirmed and celebrated. In 1983, McClintock was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, becoming the first woman to receive the prize solo in that category.

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