Lessons in Greatness: Radiologic Scientist Hermann Muller

Abstract

The career and life of Hermann Muller (1890-1967) merit the attention of contemporary radiology educators and learners for many reasons. First and foremost, Muller ranks as one of the foremost geneticists of the 20th century, receiving the 1946 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking discoveries on the role of x-rays in causing genetic mutations (1). But there is more to Muller than bench science. He also served as one of his era's foremost advocates for radiation safety, and his profound ethical and political convictions more than once landed him in hot water (2).