Danish bacteriologist Hans Christian Gram was widely recognized for developing the Gram stain. He passed away at the age of 85, leaving his close ones wholly shattered. This article explains more about his personal and professional life.
Hans Christian Gram was a Danish bacteriologist best known for developing the Gram staining technique, a method for classifying bacteria. The Gram staining method is crucial for distinguishing between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria based on their cell wall composition.
Gram-positive bacteria have a thicker peptidoglycan layer in their cell walls, which retains the crystal violet dye, making them appear purple under a microscope.
Likewise, Gram-negative bacteria, conversely, have a thinner peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane that does not retain the crystal violet dye but takes up the counterstain (safranin), making them appear pink or red.
Furthermore, Hans was among the first to recognize that macrocytes were characteristic of pernicious anemia. He was a well-respected figure, and on September 13, 2019, Google commemorated Hans’s birth anniversary with a Doodle in various countries.
Meet Hans Christian Gram Parents Frederik Terkel Julius Gram And Louise Christiane Roulund
Hans Christian Joachim Gram was born on September 13, 1853, in Copenhagen, Denmark, to his parents, Frederik Terkek Julius Gram and Louise Christiane Roulund. His father, Frederik, was a professor of jurisprudence and a well-respected legal scholar.
It is evident that Frederik had a solid academic background and was known for his contributions to law. He even had multiple roles at various institutions, including volunteering in the Danish Chancellery.
Additionally, Gram became a Knight of Dannebrog and, in 1867, a councilor. Also, he wrote multiple books, including Den private Søret after Danish Law, published in 1851.
His other writings are On Private Legal Relationships in General, Lectures on Danish Family Law, and the Application and Interpretation of Laws. His alums considered him a father. Gram was also an understanding and helpful older friend to them all.
On the other hand, Louise Christiane Roulund kept herself away from the media. However, it can be mentioned that Louise was a housewife and took good care of her family in a pretty good way.
Don’t Miss: Activist Devdatta Dabholkar Grew Up Alongside Nine Siblings: Youngest Brother Lost Life In An Assassination
Hans Christian Gram Siblings: Richard Severin Gram and Herman Gram
Meanwhile, Hans Christian Gram was not his parents’ only child. He grew up alongside his brothers, Herman Gram and Richard Severin Gram. Hans was the youngest, while Richard was reportedly born on August 9, 1857.
Richard was a Danish jurist who attended the Metropolitan School in 1875. He has also written dissertations in Ugeskrift for Retsvæsen, Tilskueren, and other journals.
Furthermore, Richard married Inger Juliane Tybjerg, the daughter of an architect, Christian Tybjerg, on December 20, 1893. Their marriage ceremony was organized in St. Paul’s Church.
Tybjerg was a Danish late classicist architect who died on May 13, 1879, at 63. Sadly, his daughter, Inger, also died on March 22, 1938, in Humlebæk. Gram’s brother, Richard, passed away on February 25, 1936.
Meanwhile, there are few details regarding Gram’s other brother, Herman Gram.
Hans Christian Gram Was Married To Louise I. C. Lohse – Welcomed Two Children
Hans Christian Gram was reportedly married to Louise I. C. Lohse. They tied the knot in 1889. They remained far from the public eye, but it is known that they stayed together for a long time.
After a long marriage, Hans and his wife welcomed two children: Kai Gram and HC Gram. His son, Kai Jorgen Arthur Gram, was born in Copenhagen on April 27, 1897.
Kai was a botanist who also participated in Olufsen’s expedition to the Sahara between 1922 and 1923. In 1957, he was part of the Thai-Danish Botanical Expedition.
In 1935, Gram published a detailed study titled The Vascular Plant Vegetation of Mouydir (Emmidir) in the Central Sahara. This work was based on collections and observations made during Professor O. Olufsen’s expedition to the Sahara in the winter of 1922-23.
Sadly, Kai died at 64 on June 25, 1961.
Hans Christian Gram Educational History And Career Overview
Hans Christian Gram studied at the University of Copenhagen and was an assistant for botany to Japetus Steenstrup, a Danish zoologist, biologist, and professor.
Gram’s study of plants introduced him to the basics of pharmacology and the usage of the microscope. His early work in botany involved examining the structure of plants, which naturally led him to explore microscopy as a tool for deeper investigation.
Gram started medical school in 1878 and graduated in 1883. Between 1878 and 1885, he traveled throughout Europe. In 1884, while in Berlin, Gram developed a method to differentiate between two major classes of bacteria.
Gram staining, still a standard in medical microbiology, earned Gram international recognition and became crucial for bacterial classification. Meanwhile, his initial work involved the study of human red blood cells.
Likewise, Hans was among the first to identify that macrocytes were characteristic of pernicious anemia. In 1891, Gram taught pharmacology and was later appointed a professor at the University of Copenhagen.
You May Read: Abu Abraham Was The Son Of Lawyer: Cartoonist Marriage With British Wife Psyche
