Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch (; ; 11 December 1843 – 27 May 1910) was a German physician and microbiologist. As the discoverer of the specific causative agents of deadly infectious diseases including tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax, he is regarded as one of the main founders of modern bacteriology. As such he is popularly nicknamed the father of microbiology (with Louis Pasteur), and as the father of medical bacteriology. His discovery of the anthrax bacterium ("Bacillus anthracis") in 1876 is considered as the birth of modern bacteriology. His discoveries directly provided proofs for the germ theory of diseases, and the scientific basis of public health. 

While working as a private physician, Koch developed many innovative techniques in microbiology. He was the first to use oil immersion lens, condenser, and microphotography in microscopy. His invention of bacterial culture method using agar and glass plates (later developed as Petri dish by his assistant Julius Richard Petri) made him the first to grow bacteria in laboratory. In appreciation of his works, he was appointed as government advisor at the Imperial Health Office in 1880, promoted to a senior executive position ("Geheimer Regierungsrath") in 1882, Director of Hygienic Institute and Chair (Professor of hygiene) of the Faculty of Medicine at Berlin University in 1885, and the Royal Prussian Institute for Infectious Diseases (later renamed Robert Koch Institute after his death) in 1891.

The methods Koch used in bacteriology led to establishment of a medical concept known as Koch's postulates, four generalized medical principles to ascertain the relationship of pathogens with specific diseases. The concept is still in use in most situations and influences subsequent epidemiological principles such as the Bradford Hill criteria. A major controversy followed when Koch discovered tuberculin as a medication for tuberculosis which was proven to be ineffective, but developed for diagnosis of tuberculosis after his death. For his research on tuberculosis, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1905. The day he announced the discovery of tuberculosis bacterium, 24 March is observed by the World Health Organization as "World Tuberculosis Day" every year since 1982.
Q39631
physician
Concept
Q3779582
microbiologist
Concept
Q12204
tuberculosis
Concept
Q12090
cholera
Concept
Q129104
anthrax
Concept
Q243748
bacteriology
Concept
Q529
Louis Pasteur
PER
Q614156
Bacillus anthracis
Concept
Q1425837
germ theory of diseases
Concept
Q189603
public health
Concept
Q904377
oil immersion lens
Concept
Q571589
condenser
Concept
Q3274922
microphotography
Concept
Q575920
bacterial culture method
Concept
Q574816
agar
Concept
Q81714
Petri dish
Concept
Q57839
Julius Richard Petri
PER
Q1006109
Imperial Health Office
Concept
Q152087
Berlin University
ORG
Q679041
Robert Koch Institute
LOC
Q19047
Koch's postulates
Concept
Q3003004
Bradford Hill criteria
Concept
Q29505
tuberculin
Concept
Q80061
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
EVE
Q7817
World Health Organization
Concept
Q518978
World Tuberculosis Day
TIME
Q37193
Robert Koch
PER
1843-12-11T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
11 December 1843
DATE
1910-05-27T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
27 May 1910
DATE
1876-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1876
DATE
1880-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1880
DATE
1882-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1882
DATE
1885-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1885
DATE
1891-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1891
DATE
1905-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1905
DATE
1982-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1982
DATE
+24^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
24
NUMBER
occupation
date of birth
employer
archives at
award received
replaces