The history of science offers multiple examples of how the perseverance of a single visionary person could open the floodgates for a whole new area of research. Zebrafish research is one of these fields with an exciting founding story, as it was the dogged persistence of one man, George Streisinger, that ultimately lifted this little fish out of the obscurity of pet shops into the pantheon of genetic model organisms. The Hungarian born Streisinger was one of the most gifted geneticists of his era and his network of mentors and friends really reads like a who-is-who of 20th century genetics. And it was not only science where he excelled: the way he took his civic duties seriously and outspokenly fought social injustice wherever he met it offers an important lesson on integrity for today's scientists as well.
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