George Papanicolaou (1883–1962): Discoverer of the Pap smear

Abstract

Papanicolaou was a pioneer in elucidating the physiology and cytologic characteristics of the female reproductive system.He is best known for creating the Papanicolaou test, commonly known as the Pap smear, which revolutionised the early detection of cervical cancer.EARLY CAREER Born on May 13, 1883, in the town of Kimi on the island of Euboea, Greece, Papanicolaou was one of four children.He attended the University of Athens, majoring not in biology, but music and the humanities.However, his physician father influenced his eventual decision to pursue a career in medicine.In 1904, he graduated from medical school with top honours.After graduation, Papanicolaou worked in the military as an assistant surgeon for a short time, then returned to his hometown, Kimi.For the next two years, he cared for leprosy patients on the outskirts of his hometown.These outcasts were socially isolated, and Papanicolaou gave them both medical and personal care with compassion and grace.However, his desire to work in science soon took hold and he travelled to the University of Munich in Germany, receiving a PhD in zoology in 1910.At this leading research institution, he worked with Professor Ernst Haeckel, one of the first great supporters of Darwinism.