• Question: Can you explain to in detail how Alexander Fleming discovered drugs?

    Asked by uthayachandran to Jack, Tom on 22 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Jack Heal

      Jack Heal answered on 22 Mar 2013:

      Hi, great question! Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic drug penicillin. You should check out Tom’s answer to a similar question here: /drugsm13-zone/2013/03/20/what-theory-supported-alexander-flemings-theory-on-the-penicillin/
      He explains the story of the accidental discovery really nicely!
      Fleming also published work about things like chemotherapy. He’ll always be remembered for penicillin though – he won a Nobel prize for the discovery!

    • Photo: Tom Branson

      Tom Branson answered on 22 Mar 2013:

      Thanks for sharing the link Jack.

      I think it’s really cool that he found it by accident, he just went on holiday and when he returned, bang there it was! Maybe I should leave my lab for a bit and see what is happening when I come back.

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