Barbara J. McClintock

Barbara J. McClintock was a pioneering geneticist who studied maize (corn) and discovered that chromosomes can change position, a process called "jumping genes" or transposons. Her work revealed that genes are not fixed in place on chromosomes, which fundamentally changed our understanding of genetics and heredity. McClintock's research earned her the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983, making her the first woman to receive this honor in her field. Her findings have had lasting impacts on genetics, helping us understand how genes can move and influence traits in living organisms.