Barbara McClintock (1902–1992) was an American scientist and geneticist who is best known for her groundbreaking work in the field of genetics, particularly in maize (corn). She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983 for her discovery of "jumping genes," or transposable elements. McClintock's research demonstrated that genes could change positions on chromosomes and that this could affect the expression of traits in organisms.
