Edward Butts Lewis was an eminent scientist, known for his work on genetics of the common fruit fly (Drosophila melanosgaster). Born in the early twentieth century, his childhood as well as youth was spent under financial paucity because his watchmaker-jeweler father lost his job at the start of the Great Depression. Yet it could not rob him of his energy, wit and inquisitiveness. He started working with Drosophila while in school. Later he earned his bachelor’s degree in biostatistics from the University of Minnesota and his PhD in Genetics from Caltech. During this period, he also invented ‘cis-trans’ test, which is still taught in the introductory undergraduate biological courses. However, he could begin his actual research works only after returning to Caltech after a brief war service. He mostly worked on genetics and it earned him number of awards including the Nobel Prize. Equally significant was his study on the effects of radiation on human health. He fought to establish that even low level of radiation is bad for health. Although short in stature, he was great in all kinds of human quality and was greatly respected for his modesty, personal integrity and intellect.
