Giuseppe Brotzu (Cagliari, 24 January 1895 – Cagliari, 8 April 1976)[1][2] was an Italian pharmacologist and politician.

Giuseppe Brotzu
Professor Giuseppe Brotzu
Born(1895-01-24)24 January 1895
Ghilarza, Italy
Died8 April 1976(1976-04-08) (aged 81)
Cagliari, Italy
CitizenshipItalian
Alma mater
Known forDiscovery of cephalosporin C
Scientific career
FieldsHygiene, epidemiology
Doctoral advisorDonato Ottolenghi[1]

Biography

edit

Giuseppe Brotzu was born in Ghilarza, a town of the Province of Oristano, Sardinia. He graduated from the University of Cagliari, Sardinia in (1919) and later completed the specialization in Hygiene at University of Siena in 1922. He graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Bologna in 1925.

He became a professor at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in 1932, and between 1939 and 1943 he was the director of University of Cagliari.

Scientific research

edit

Brotzu is recognized as the discoverer of the cephalosporin-based antibiotics, that were first isolated from cultures of Cephalosporium (now known as Acremonium) in 1948.[3] He noticed that these cultures produced substances that were effective against Salmonella typhi, the cause of typhoid fever,[1] which had beta-lactamase. He was awarded the Laurea ad honorem at the University of Oxford in 1971, and was a candidate also for the Nobel Prize.

Political career

edit

Giuseppe Brotzu was elected President of Sardinia in 1955, and Mayor of Cagliari in 1960.

Bibliography

edit
  • G. Bo, «BROTZU, Giuseppe». In: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Vol. XXXIV, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 1987 (on-line)
  • Roberto Paracchini (2002). Il signore delle Cefalosporine (Demos). ISBN 88-8467-082-9.
  • Bo G (Jan-Feb 1999). Un ricordo del prof. Giuseppe Brotzu. Ann Ig 11 (1): 3-9. PMID 10208039.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Bo G (2000). "Giuseppe Brotzu and the discovery of cephalosporins". Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 6 (Supplement 3): 6–8. doi:10.1111/j.1469-0691.2000.tb02032.x. PMID 11449655.
  2. ^ "BROTZU, Giuseppe". Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana fondata da Giovanni Treccani S.p.A. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. ^ Tilli Tansey; Lois Reynolds, eds. (2000). Post Penicillin Antibiotics: From acceptance to resistance?. Wellcome Witnesses to Contemporary Medicine. History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group. ISBN 978-1-84129-012-6. OL 12568269M. Wikidata Q29581637.