Charlotte Auerbach, 14 May 1899 - 17 March 1994

Abstract

Charlotte Auerbach, known to her friends all over the world as ‘Lotte’, was born in Krefeld am Rhein and died in Edinburgh. She was known above all for her discovery in 1941 that gene mutations can be artificially induced by treatment of Drosophila flies with a chemical substance, mustard gas. Later she became renowned for her profound knowledge of classical genetics and especially of mutation. However, apart from her scientific eminence, she was remarkable in many ways - for her wide cultural, intellectual and humanitarian interests, and her modesty. She had a long and eventful life, part of which was tragically affected by events in Germany during the Nazi period.