World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Microbiology

D-Index
69
Citations
16474
World Ranking
2048
National Ranking
865

Research.com Recognitions

  • 1971 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 1952 - Nobel Prize for his discovery of streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis
  • 1948 - Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, Lasker Foundation
  • 1942 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Overview

Selman A. Waksman was affiliated with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in the United States. Their research primarily centered around medicine, with specific attention to oncology, dermatology, and ecology as subfields of study. The scientist's work covered topics such as neutropenia and cancer infections, chemotherapy-related skin toxicity, and microbial community ecology and physiology.

The scholar contributed publications to the following venues:

  • Antibiotics and chemotherapy/Antibiotica et chemotherapia
  • Journal of Marine Research

Recent papers included:

  • "Antibiotics and Chemotherapy" (2025), published in Antibiotics and chemotherapy/Antibiotica et chemotherapia
  • "On the oxidation of organic matter in marine sediments by bacteria" (2020), published in Journal of Marine Research

Frequent co-authors included Margaret Hotchkiss.

Throughout the career, the researcher received several awards, including the Nobel Prize in 1952 for the discovery of streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis. Other recognitions were the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1948, induction as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1942, and becoming a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1971.

Best Publications

  • Streptomycin, a Substance Exhibiting Antibiotic Activity Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria.∗†:

    Albert Schatz;Elizabeth Bugle;Selman A. Waksman

  • The Nomenclature and Classification of the Actinomycetes.

    Selman A. Waksman;Arthur T. Henrici

  • Principles of Soil Microbiology

    Selman A. Waksman

  • Neomycin, a New Antibiotic Active against Streptomycin-Resistant Bacteria, including Tuberculosis Organisms.

    Selman A. Waksman;Hubert A. Lechevalier

  • The Actinomycetes. A summary of current knowledge.

    Selman A. Waksman

  • Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal Substances Produced by a Soil Actinomyces.

    Selman A. Waksman;H. Boyd Woodruff

  • Streptomycin, a substance exhibiting antibiotic activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. 1944.

    Albert Schatz;Elizabeth Bugie;Selman A Waksman

  • Effect of Streptomycin and Other Antibiotic Substances upon Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Related Organisms.

    Albert Schatz;Selman A. Waksman

  • Classification, identification and descriptions of genera and species

    Selman A. Waksman

  • A Method for Counting the Number of Fungi in the Soil.

    Selman A. Waksman

  • Microörganisms Concerned in the Oxidation of Sulfur in the Soil: II. Thiobacillus Thiooxidans, a New Sulfur-oxidizing Organism Isolated from the Soil.

    Selman A. Waksman;J. S. Joffe

  • The Soil as a Source of Microorganisms Antagonistic to Disease-Producing Bacteria.

    Selman A. Waksman;H. Boyd Woodruff

  • What is an antibiotic or an antibiotic substance

    Selman A. Waksman

  • CONTROL OF GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS BY STREPTOMYCIN

    Doris Jones;H. J. Metzger;Albert Schatz;Selman A. Waksman

  • Streptothricin, a New Selective Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal Agent, Particularly Active Against Gram-Negative Bacteria.

    Selman A. Waksman;H. Boyd Woodruff

  • Influence of Temperature and Moisture Upon the Nature and Extent of Decomposition of Plant Residues by Microorganisms

    Selman A. Waksman;F. C. Gerretsen

  • INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE UPON THE MICROBIOLOGICAL POPULATION AND DECOMPOSITION PROCESSES IN COMPOSTS OF STABLE MANURE

    Selman A. Waksman;T. C. Cordon;N. Hulpoi

  • Actinomyces antibioticus, a New Soil Organism Antagonistic to Pathogenic and Non-pathogenic Bacteria.

    Selman A. Waksman;H. Boyd Woodruff

  • Microbial Antagonisms and Antibiotic Substances

    Selman Abraham. Waksman

  • The Actinomyces of the Soil

    Selman A. Waksman;Roland E. Curtis

  • Antibiotics and chemotherapy

    Selman A. Waksman

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying Microbiology in the USA opens the door to several related career pathways that blend healthcare, technology, and management. For those interested in patient-centered care, becoming a functional medicine nurse practitioner offers a specialized approach by integrating biology with holistic health practices.

On the administrative side, medical coding is a critical role that ensures accurate healthcare documentation and billing. Exploring the cpc salary and career paths can provide insight into job outlooks and income potential for certified professional coders.

For microbiology graduates focused on managing healthcare data, a career as a health information manager is a great fit. Entry-level positions offer competitive benefits and growth, as highlighted in the health information management salary entry-level resources.

Those seeking formal education in this domain can consider online health information management degree programs cahiim accredited, which provide flexibility and industry-recognized credentials for advancing careers in healthcare management and technology.

Best Scientists Citing Selman A. Waksman

Recently Published Articles