The Israeli crystallographer Ada Yonath, awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009, has died at the age of 87, according to the Weizmann Institute of Science, the center where she developed much of her career.
The Weizmann Institute has emphasized that Yonath's work helped to "pave the way for the development of more advanced antibiotics and combat resistant bacteria, one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century."
Born in Jerusalem in 1939, Yonath lost her father when she was still a child. She grew up in a home with very limited resources and, for that reason, began working before turning 12.
Despite the economic difficulties, she continued her academic training and obtained her doctorate in 1968, specializing in crystallography and X-rays, which marked the beginning of a brilliant scientific career with numerous accolades, as recalled by the Weizmann Institute.
The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has highlighted that Yonath "was one of the leading researchers in the scientific history of Israel," and that "she opened paths globally, a pioneer who demonstrated that curiosity, devotion to a goal, and determination can break the limits of human knowledge."