Giovanni Battista Grassi 1561349 220849997 2008-06-21T22:30:31Z Auric The Rad 31706 [[Image:Grassi Giovanni Battista 1854-1925.jpg|thumb|230px|Giovanni Battista Grassi]] '''Giovanni Battista Grassi''' ([[1854]] [[Rovellasca]] -[[1925]], [[Rome]]) was an [[Italy|Italian]] [[zoologist]], known for work demonstrating that [[mosquito]]s carry the [[malaria]] [[plasmodium]] in their digestive tract, on the embryological development of [[honey bees]], on parasites, particularly the vine parasite [[phylloxera]], migrations and metamorphosis in [[eel]]s, and on [[termites]]. ==Biography== Battista Grassi graduated in Medicine from the [[University of Pavia]] under professors [[Camillo Golgi]] and [[Giulio Bizzozero]] Giulio Bizzazzero. After graduation he worked on [[Parasitic worm|parasitic worms]] of medical importance especially the [[Hookworm|hookworm]].in the Department of Comparative Anatomy at [[Sapienza University of Rome|Sapienza]] University in [[Rome]]. From 1878 Grassi worked first at [[Messina]] in the Oceanographic Station founded by [[Nicolaus Kleinenberg]] and [[Anton Dohrn]] where he studied [[Chaetognatha]] then at [[Heidelberg]] with [[Karl Gegenbaur]] and [[Otto Bütschli]].In Heidelberg Grassi married Maria Koenen. In 1883 he became Professor of Comparative Zoology at the [[University of Catania]], studying [[Cestoda|cestodes]], the life cycle of the [[European eel]] (Catania) and the [[Moray eel]] (Rome). Also in Catania he began to study entomology and wrote a student text "The Origin and Descent of Myriapods and Insects" in addition to scientific papers. He also began to study Malaria working with [[Raimondo Feletti]] on malaria, especially [[Avian malaria|bird malaria]]. In 1895 Grassi joined [[Angelo Celli]], [[Amico Bignami]], [[Giuseppe Bastianelli]] and [[Ettore Marchiafava]] a group working on malaria in districts around Rome as the group’s entomologist. he identified Anopheles claviger as being responsible for the spread of malaria in man. Between 1900 and 1902, Grassi, [[Gustavo Pittaluga]] and [[Giovanni Noè]] made intensive sudies of malaria at [[Agro Portuense]], at [[Fiumicino]], on the [[Tiber]], and on the plain of [[Capaccio]], near Paestum. In 1902, Grassi abandoned his study of malaria and began work on the sandfly responsible for [[Leishmaniasis]] (''[[Phlebotomus]] papatasii'') and on a serious insect pest of the grape vine ( ''[[Phylloxera]] vastatrix )''. Endemic malaria returned to Italy during and after the [[First World War]] and Grassi resumed his mosquito studies and was working on them when he died. ==Works== Partial list * 1898. Rapporti tra la malaria e peculiari insetti (zanzaroni e zanzare palustri). ''R. C. Accad. Lincei'' 7:163-177. * 1899. Ancora sulla malaria. ''R. C. Accad. Lincei'' 8:559-561. *with Bignami,A. and Bastianelli, G.. 1899. Resoconto degli studi fatti sulla malaria durante il mese di gennaio. ''R. C. Accad. Lincei''. 8:100-104. * 1901. Studii di uno Zoologo sulla Malaria.''Atti dei.Linncei.Mem. Cl.sc.fis.ecc''.3(5),No. 91:299-516.6 plates in colour. ==Recognition== He won the [[Royal Society]]'s [[Darwin Medal]] in 1896. He was made a senator in Italy.<ref>de Kruif, Paul ''Microbe Hunters'' 1956 ed. Pocket Books. pg 291.</ref> A stamp commemorating Grassi and with his portrait was issued by the Italian post office in 1955 [http://www.bugsonstamps.com/italy/italy_03_mosq.htm]. ==References== {{Reflist}} *Conci, C. & Poggi, R. 1996 ''Iconography of Italian Entomologists, with essential biographical data''. Mem. Soc. Ent. Ital. 75 159-382, 418 Fig. *Howard, L. O. 1930 ''History of applied Entomology (Somewhat Anecdotal)''. Smiths. Miscell. Coll. 84 X+1-564, 51 plates *Roncalli, Amici R.The history of Italian parasitology.''Vet. Parasitol. 98(1-3): 3-30. ===External links=== *[http://www.scienzemfn.uniroma1.it/bau/MUSEI/anacomp/grassi/GBGEng. Biography of Grassi] in English. *[http://dipbau.bio.uniroma1.it/web/Musei/MuseoAC/GrassiZoologo.htm_cvt.htm#1. Biography of Grassi] In Italian, English translation sometimes available. *[http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1139-67092006000100010&lng=pt&nrm=&tlng=en Grassi versus Ross] *[http://www.cat-science.com/admin/articles/pdfs/060302/1_focus_Battista.pdf Contributions to Science] {{DEFAULTSORT:Grassi, Giovanni Battista}} [[Category:Italian zoologists]] [[Category:Italian entomologists]] [[Category:Italian senators]] [[Category:1854 births]] [[Category:1925 deaths]] [[Category:Malaria]] {{zoologist-stub}} {{Italy-scientist-stub}} [[cs:Giovanni Battista Grassi]] [[de:Giovanni Battista Grassi]] [[fr:Giovanni Battista Grassi]] [[it:Giovanni Battista Grassi]] [[nl:Giovanni Battista Grassi]] [[pt:Giovanni Battista Grassi]]