The article shows the life path, characterizes the scientific, organizational a teaching activities of Academician M. F. Gamaliya. The scientific activities of M. F Gamaliya began during the period of rapid development of microbiology, epidemiology and continued for about 60 years. During this time, the scientist made a significant contribution to the development of many branches of science, left more than 350 scientific works, including 30 monographs and textbooks, and passed on the acquired knowledge to numerous students and followers.

Mykola Fedorovych Gamalia was born in Odessa on February 17, 1859. He was the last of 12 children in the family of Fedor Mikhailovich Gamalia and Karolina Vikentievna (nee Vadetska) – descendants of an ancient Ukrainian family. The article reveals his contribution to the development of immunology, microbiology and epidemiology. It is found that in the scientific literature the theoretical and methodological achievements of the medical scientist have not yet been properly disclosed, although they has particular value in medical science. The article analyzes the main publications of M.F. Gamalia, which allowed us to characterize his views. It is shown that M. F. Gamalia actively promoted knowledge about cholera, plague, rabies and many other diseases. The scientist approached the study of these issues from both general biological and ecological and social positions. Mykola Fedorovych actively advocated for the improvement of sanitary and hygienic conditions in large cities. The scientist devoted some time to studying the etiology of typhus. M. F. Gamalia applied his concepts and theories to various medical phenomena and published books describing his ideas at his own expense.

The Odessa Bacteriological Station carried out work not only on the treatment of rabies. M. F. Gamalia was engaged in the study of the etiology and pathogenesis of cholera. In 1888, while studying a cholera-like disease of domestic birds at the Odessa market, he isolated a cholera-like vibrio from chickens, which differed from cholera in increased toxigenicity, and called it «Mechnikov’s vibrio».

Of great importance for general microbiology are the observations made by M. F. Gamalia in 1898. Studying the dense distribution of anthrax bacilli in distilled water, he observed the lightening of the mixture under certain conditions. Substances that passed into solution similarly affected new batches of bacteria.

1. Belikovskiy, V.A., & Gamaleya, N. F. (1903). Chuma v Odesse  [Plague in Odessa]. Odessa [In Russian].
2. Gamaliya, N.F. (1886). O metode Pastera po predohraneniyu ukushennyih ot beshenstva [On Pasteur's method for protecting those bitten from rabies]. In: Otchet Odesskomu obschestvu vrachey, chitannyiy 7-go iyunya 1886 g. Odessa [In Russian].
3. Gamaliya, V.M. (2009). Do 150-richchya vId dnya narodzhennya M. F. Gamaliyi (1859–1949) [Until the 150th birthday of M. F. Gamaliya (1859–1949)]. Nauka ta naukoznavstvo – Science and scientific studies, 28, 28–36 [In Ukrainian].
4. Garin, N.S. (1962). Vklad N. F. Gamalei v uchenie o dezinsekii i deratizatsii [Contribution of N. F. Gamaleya to the doctrine of disinfestation and deratization]. In book: Vklad N. F. Gamalei v mikrobiologiyu i epidemiologiyu [Contribution of N. F. Gamaleya to microbiology and epidemiology]. Moskva, pp. 121–129 [In Russian].
5. Grachyova, N.P. (1962). Issledovaniya N. F. Gamalei po probleme tuberkulyoza [Research by N. F. Gamaleya on the problem of tuberculosis]. In book: Vklad N. F. Gamalei v mikrobiologiyu i epidemiologiyu [Contribution of N. F. Gamaleya to microbiology and epidemiology]. Moskva, pp. 130–143 [In Russian].
6. Zabolotnyiy, D.K. & Savchenko, I. G. (1883). Opyit immunizatsii cheloveka protia holeryi [Experience of human immunization against cholera]. Vrach – Doctor, 20, 570–576 [In Russian].
7. Milyonushkin, Yu. I. (1954). Nikolay Fyodorovich Gamaleya [Nikolai Fyodorovich Gamaleya]. Moskva [In Russian].
8. Pylypchuk, O.O. (2019). Hamaliia Mykola Fedorovych [Gamaliya Mykola Fedorovych]. In book: Pylypchuk O. O., Pylypchuk O. Ya. Tvortsi ukrainskoi nauky: biohrafichnyi do vidnyk. T. 1 [Creators of Ukrainian science: a biographical guide. Vol. 1]. Kyiv, pp. 54–57 [In Ukrainian].
9. Ruda, S. (2000). Narysy z istorii mikrobiolohii v Ukraini (kinets XIX – pochatok XX st.) [Essays on the history of microbiology in Ukraine (late 19th – early 20th centuries)]. Kyiv [In Ukrainian].
10. Timakov, V.D. (1962). Nikolay Fedorovich Gamaleya – odin iz osnovopolozhnikov otechestvennoy mikrobiologii [Nikolai Fedorovich Gamaleya is one of the founders of Russian microbiology]. In book: Vklad N. F. Gamalei v mikrobiologiyu i epidemiologiyu [Contribution of N. F. Gamaleya to microbiology and epidemiology]. Moskva, pp. 11–19 [In Russian].
11. Central State Archives of Estonia. F. 402, inv. 3, unit 362. Autobiography of N.F. Gamaleya, c. 9 [In Russian].
12. Shen, R.M. (1962). Profilaktika beshenstva i znachenie rabot N. F. Gamalei v borbe s etim zabolevaniem [Prevention of rabies and the importance of N. F. Gamaleya’s work in the fight against this disease]. In book: Vklad N. F. Gamalei v mikrobiologiyu i epidemiologiyu [Contribution of N. F. Gamaleya to microbiology and epidemiology]. Moskva, pp. 88–99 [In Russian].