Description: (American Zoologist Best Known for His Work on the Structure and Function of Chromosomes)
Theophilus Shickel Painter was a prominent American zoologist acclaimed for his pioneering research on chromosome structure and function, notably the discovery of the X/Y chromosomal pair mechanism determining human sex. He also conducted significant studies on gene identification in fruit flies, using polytene chromosomes in Drosophila and other Dipteran larvae. Painter's contributions to science earned him election to prestigious institutions including the United States National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, acknowledging his significant impact on genetics and chromosomal research.