Biographical timeline of Sir Alexander Fleming, the Scottish bacteriologist who discovered penicillin and laid the foundation for modern antibiotics, from his birth in 1881 to his death in 1955.
Alexander Fleming is born on a farm near Darvel, in Ayrshire, Scotland. #medicine #biography
Fleming's family moves to Darvel, where he begins attending Loudoun Moor School. #education #biography
At age 13, Fleming moves to London to live with his elder brother, Thomas, and attends the Regent Street Polytechnic. #education #biography
Fleming works as a clerk in a shipping office, a job he dislikes, but which funds his medical studies. #career #biography
Fleming enrols at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, after inheriting a small legacy. #education #medicine
Fleming graduates with an MBBS degree with distinction from the University of London. #medicine #education
Fleming receives a BSc degree in bacteriology from the University of London. #science #education
Fleming is awarded the Gold Medal in Bacteriology from the University of London. #achievement #science
Fleming is commissioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps and serves in World War I, studying wound infections. #medicine #war
Fleming marries Sarah Marion McElroy, a nurse from Ireland, who later dies in 1949. #personal #biography
After WWI, Fleming returns to St Mary's Hospital, where he works with Almroth Wright on bacteriological research. #medicine #career
Fleming discovers lysozyme, an antibacterial enzyme found in tears and mucus, marking his first major scientific discovery. #science #discovery
Fleming publishes his findings on lysozyme in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. #science #publication
Fleming notices that a mold (Penicillium notatum) has inhibited bacterial growth in a Petri dish, leading to the discovery of penicillin. #science #discovery #microbiology
Fleming is appointed Professor of Bacteriology at the University of London, based at St Mary's Hospital. #career #medicine
Fleming publishes his paper on penicillin in the British Journal of Experimental Pathology, but struggles to isolate the compound. #science #publication
Fleming continues to experiment with penicillin, using it as a topical antiseptic, but fails to produce it in large quantities. #science #medicine
Howard Florey, Ernst Chain, and their team at Oxford University begin large-scale production and purification of penicillin. #science #medicine
The first human patient, Albert Alexander, receives penicillin and initially improves, but dies due to insufficient supply. #medicine #history
US pharmaceutical companies begin mass-producing penicillin, aided by government support, making the drug widely available. #science #medicine
Fleming is elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) for his contributions to bacteriology. #honor #science
Fleming is knighted for his role in the discovery of penicillin, becoming Sir Alexander Fleming. #honor #biography
Fleming shares the Nobel Prize with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain for the discovery of penicillin and its curative effects. #award #medicine
Fleming is awarded the Albert Medal by the Royal Society of Arts for his contributions to the arts, manufactures, and commerce. #honor #achievement
Fleming receives the French Legion of Honour for his scientific achievements. #honor #international
The Greek government awards Fleming the Order of the Phoenix for his contributions to medicine. #honor #international
Sarah Marion Fleming passes away, leaving Fleming widowed after 34 years of marriage. #personal #biography
Fleming receives honorary citizenship of Paris for his contributions to medicine. #honor #international
Fleming is elected Lord Rector of the University of Edinburgh, serving until 1954. #education #honor
Fleming marries Amalia Koutsouri-Vourekas, a Greek bacteriologist, in London. #personal #biography
Fleming steps back from active laboratory research, though he continues to give lectures and receive honors. #career #biography
Sir Alexander Fleming dies of a heart attack at his home in London, aged 73. #obituary #biography
Fleming is buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, alongside other British notables. #history #biography
Fleming's legacy is celebrated worldwide, with numerous statues, schools, and hospitals named after him. #legacy #medicine