Who is Walther Flemming?

Walther Flemming is the founder of cytogenetics, the study of the structure and workings of cells. He served as a military physician and as a professor of anatomy in Germany.

Walther Flemming was born in Germany in 1843. After studying medicine at the University of Rostock, he served in the military during the Franco-Prussian War. Afterward, he worked as a professor at both the University of Prague and the University of Kiel. His experiments with aniline and basophilic dyes led to the discovery of chromosomes. His work also led to the discovery of cell division and greater knowledge about the composition of cells.