Alfred D. Hershey

Alfred D. Hershey was an American scientist renowned for his groundbreaking work in genetics and microbiology. He co-discovered that DNA is the material responsible for genetic inheritance, which was a major breakthrough in understanding how traits are passed down. His famous experiments, often involving viruses that infect bacteria (bacteriophages), showed that DNA, not protein, carries genetic information. Hershey's work earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1969, shared with Marshall Nirenberg. His contributions significantly advanced molecular biology, providing the foundation for modern genetics and biotechnology.