Barbara McClintock was a renowned American scientist who did pioneering work in the field of cytogenetics. Her theories on gene regulation and discovery of “jumping genes” were a major breakthrough for the scientific world. An inquisitive soul since her childhood days, she was also a highly independent personality and that was probably one of the reasons her name was changed to Barbara from Eleanor; the latter being considered a very feminine name by her parents. The young child had a strained relationship with her mother who insisted that Barbara shouldn’t be admitted to college but eventually at his father’s insistence she was admitted to college. It was during college that she realised her interest in genetics and embarked on a life long journey in the stream. Always engrossed in solving some or the other problem this eminent scientist made some path breaking advancements in her chosen field. Starting from devising a technique to observe the chromosome in maize to charting the first gene map, to making detailed analysis on the life cycle of the species Neurospora crassa, her achievements are innumerable. But her most significant contribution was her theory on genetic regulation which even earned her a Nobel Prize. The dedicated cytogeneticist devoted her entire life towards scientific advancement and died a solitary soul. Read on to know more about her contributions to the sphere of genetics