Dimitri Ivanovski
Encyclopedia
Dmitri Iosifovich Ivanovsky (alternative spelling Dmitrii or Dmitry Iwanowski) (1864-1920) was a Russia
n botanist, one of the discoverers of filterable nature of virus
es (1892) and thus one of the founders of virology.
Ivanovsky studied at the University of St Petersburg in 1887, when he was sent to Ukraine
and Bessarabia
to investigate a tobacco
disease causing a great damage to plantations at the time. Three years later, he was assigned to look into similar disease of tobacco plants, this time raging in the Crimea
region. He discovered that both diseases were caused by an extremely minuscule infectious agent, capable of permeating porcelain Chamberland filter
s, something which bacteria could never do. He described his findings in an article (1892) and a dissertation (1902).
In 1898, the Dutch microbiologist Martinus Beijerinck
independently replicated Ivanovsky's experiments and became convinced that the filtered solution contained a new form of infectious agent, which he named virus
. Beijerinck subsequently acknowledged Ivanovsky's priority of discovery.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n botanist, one of the discoverers of filterable nature of virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
es (1892) and thus one of the founders of virology.
Ivanovsky studied at the University of St Petersburg in 1887, when he was sent to Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
to investigate a tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
disease causing a great damage to plantations at the time. Three years later, he was assigned to look into similar disease of tobacco plants, this time raging in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
region. He discovered that both diseases were caused by an extremely minuscule infectious agent, capable of permeating porcelain Chamberland filter
Chamberland filter
A Chamberland filter, also known as a Pasteur-Chamberland filter, is a porcelain water filter invented by Charles Chamberland in 1884. It is similar to the Berkefeld filter in principle.-Design:...
s, something which bacteria could never do. He described his findings in an article (1892) and a dissertation (1902).
In 1898, the Dutch microbiologist Martinus Beijerinck
Martinus Beijerinck
Martinus Willem Beijerinck was a Dutch microbiologist and botanist. Born in Amsterdam, Beijerinck studied at the Technical School of Delft, where he was awarded the degree of Chemical Engineer in 1872. He obtained his Doctor of Science degree from the University of Leiden in 1877...
independently replicated Ivanovsky's experiments and became convinced that the filtered solution contained a new form of infectious agent, which he named virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
. Beijerinck subsequently acknowledged Ivanovsky's priority of discovery.