May 13, 2019
Georgios Papanikolaou’s 136th Birthday
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates Georgios Papanikolaou, the Greek cytopathologist who worked with his wife to develop the life-saving medical test known as the Pap smear.
Born on the Greek island of Euboea on this day in 1883, Papanikolaou grew up the son of a doctor. Although he initially studied music and the humanities, he later chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and go into the medical field.
Papanikolaou started medical school at age 15, and after graduation served as an army surgeon in the Balkan wars. In 1913, he immigrated to the U.S. with his wife, Andromachi Mavroyenis. The couple initially struggled to make a living—Georgios sold carpets and played violin in restaurants and Mary sewed buttons for $5 a week—until he was recruited as a researcher at Cornell University. There, Georgios worked alongside his wife who served as a technician and sometimes test subject.
The couples’ scientific breakthrough came after recruiting a group of close friends to participate in a study for their research, which involved undergoing Pap smears. During the study, Papanikolaou detected malignant cells in one guest’s sample, diagnosing his wife’s friend with cervical cancer. Still widely used today, the simple, low-cost “Pap smear” makes early detection of cervical cancer in women possible, slashing fatalities in half (based on some estimates).
Nominated twice for the Nobel Prize, Papanikolaou received the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 1950 and his portrait appeared on the Greek 10,000 drachma banknote as well as a 1978 U.S. postage stamp. A Miami cancer research institute that hired him late in his career was also renamed in his honor.
Happy 136th birthday, Georgios Papanikolaou!
Where this Doodle appeared
Discover more Doodles by color
Did you know?
The very first Doodle launched as an “out of office” message of sorts when company founders Larry and Sergey went on vacation.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first Doodle launched in 1998, before Google was officially incorporated.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first same day Doodle was created in 2009 when water was discovered on the moon.
Learn MoreDid you know?
Doodle for Google student contest winners have gone on to become professional artists
Learn MoreDid you know?
The time it takes from sketch to launch for a Doodle varies widely: some have taken years and others just a few hours!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Hundreds of Doodles launch around the world every year. Often, several different ones are live in different places at the same time!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Our most frequently recurring Doodle character is Momo the Cat - named after a real-life team pet!
Learn More