Most life-saving fungi

Discovered by the Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming (UK), in his own words "by accident", on 28 September 1928, the antibiotic derived from Penicillium fungi (i.e., penicillin) marked a turning point in healthcare and, since its inception, is estimated to have saved more than 200 million lives. Penicillin's introduction revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections, including dreaded diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoea, tuberculosis, gangrene, pneumonia, diphtheria and scarlet fever, dramatically reducing mortality rates. In World War II, it played a pivotal role in saving the lives of wounded soldiers, and its impact extended far beyond the battlefield. It is one of the most transformative medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, and arguably all time.

This remarkable fungi-derived antibiotic's legacy continues to shape modern medicine, a testament to the immense potential of fungal compounds in safeguarding human health.

Although Fleming is widely credited as the founder of penicillin, two other scientists were pivotal in developing his research in order to refine the antibiotic and mass-produce it for clinical use: Howard Florey (Australia) and Ernst Chain (UK), who conducted a number of experiments in the late 1930s. In recognition of this collaborative effort, Fleming, Florey and Chain jointly received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945.