Charles Thom, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Charles Thom

American mycologist

Date of Birth: 11-Nov-1872

Place of Birth: Minonk, Illinois, United States

Date of Death: 24-May-1956

Profession: mycologist, microbiologist

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Charles Thom (November 11, 1872 – May 24, 1956) was an American microbiologist and mycologist.
Born and raised in Illinois, he received his PhD from the University of Missouri, the first such degree awarded by that institution.
He was best known for his work on the microbiology of dairy products and soil fungi, and in particular his research into the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium.
His work influenced the establishment of standards for food handling and processing in the USA.
He pioneered the use of culture media to grow microorganisms, and, with food chemist James N.
Currie, developed a process to mass-produce citric acid using Aspergillus.
Thom played an important role in the development of penicillin in World War II.