When Emory infectious disease expert Robert Gaynes reads about the search for an HIV vaccine or sees new findings about antibiotic-resistant infections, his mind goes to medical pioneers like Louis Pasteur. After all, Pasteur is credited for being one of the first scientists to realize that some diseases are caused by germs. That finding led to huge advances in health.

In "Germ Theory: Medical Pioneers in Infectious Diseases" (American Society for Microbiology Press, 2011), Gaynes tells the stories of Pasteur and 12 other pioneering scientists who changed the face of medicine through their work with germ theory. Through the book, Gaynes hopes that avid science fans and scientists will gain insight into the history of the field so they can more effectively come up with new solutions to infectious diseases such as HIV.

Listen to Robert Gaynes talk about the medical pioneers who shaped our understanding of infection and changed the way physicians approach disease: