Emil von Behring

Born in 1854 in what was then West Prussia, Emil von Behring studied medicine in Berlin and went on to work with leading researchers including Robert Koch. His most important breakthrough came from work on serum therapy for diphtheria, which helped turn one of the deadliest childhood diseases into a treatable one.

His research also advanced the understanding of tetanus, and his achievements made him one of the central figures in the early history of immunology. In 1901, he received the very first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on serum therapy.

Behring later built a successful research and production enterprise connected with his medical discoveries. He died in 1917, but his work left a lasting mark on modern infectious disease treatment and preventive medicine.