Martinus Beijerinck

Martinus Beijerinck
Born16 March 1851 (1851-03-16)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died1 January 1931 (1931-02) (aged 79)
Alma materLeiden University
Known forOne of the founders of virology, environmental microbiology and general microbiology
Conceptual discovery of virus (tobacco mosaic virus)
Enrichment culture
Biological nitrogen fixation
Sulfate-reducing bacteria
Nitrogen fixing bacteria
Azotobacter (Azotobacter chroococcum)
Rhizobium
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (Spirillum desulfuricans)
AwardsLeeuwenhoek Medal (1905)
Scientific career
FieldsMicrobiology
InstitutionsWageningen University
Delft School of Microbiology (founder)
The Laboratory of Microbiology in Delft, where Beijerinck worked from 1897 to 1921.

Martinus Willem Beijerinck (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑrˈtinʏs ˈʋɪləm ˈbɛiərɪŋk], 16 March 1851 – 1 January 1931) was a Dutch microbiologist and botanist who was one of the founders of virology and environmental microbiology. He is credited with the co-discovery of viruses (1898), which he called "contagium vivum fluidum".