| Authorised form of name | Malpighi; Marcello (1628 - 1694); biologist and physician |
| Other forms of name | Marcellus |
| Other forms of surname | Malpighius |
| Dates | 1628 - 1694 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Place of birth | Crevalcore, Bologna, Papal States [modern day Italy], Europe |
| Date of birth | 10 March 1628 |
| Place of death | Rome, Papal States [modern day Italy], Europe |
| Date of death | 30 November 1694 |
| Dates and places | Burial:
Church of Santi Gregorio e Siro, Bologna, Papal States [modern day Italy], Europe |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Research field | Medicine |
| Microscopic and comparative anatomy |
| Embryology |
| Activity | Education:
Entered Bologna where he studied medicine under Peripatetic philosopher Francesco Natali, then under Bartolomeo Massari and Andrea Mariani; MD (1653)
Career:
Lecturer in Logic, University of Bologna until 1656; Professor Theoretical Medicine at Pisa (1656); Extraordinary Lecturer in Theoretical Medicine at Bologna (1659); first Professor of Medicine at Messina (1682); returned to Bolognato lecture in practical medicine (1666); first person to use a simple microscope for anatomical research; Physician to Pope Innocent XII at Rome (1691-1694) |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 04/03/1669 |
| Age at election | 40 |
| Proposer | Henry Oldenburg |
| Other Royal Society activity | Acted as a correspondent, in particular with Henry Oldenburg;
His botanical and zoological works were later published by the Royal Society (1675 and 1679);
Elected as the first Italian 'foreign member' prior to the official classification |
| Relationships | Parents: Marcantonio Malpighi and Maria Cremonini |
| Published works | RCN: 54273
RCN: 54274
RCN: 54275
RCN: 54269
RCN: 54271 |
| General context | Malpighi is an instrumental figure in microscopial anatomy and histology. His name survives in the names of various physiological features, e.g. Malpighian corpuscles. His major works include 'De pulmonibus' (1661) and 'De polypo cordis' (1666), which elucidated blood composition. He also published three volumes on different areas of the nervous system. |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Image | 
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| Sources | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DSB; Biographie Universelle; Hunter
References:
Bolam, J. 1972-3. 'The Botanical Works of Nehemiah Grew, FRS (1641-1712)', in Notes and Records, vol. 27, pp. 219-231
Cavazza, M. 1980. 'Bologna and the Royal Society in the Seventeenth Century', in Notes and Records, vol. 35, pp.105-123
Cavazza, M. 2002. 'The Institute of Science of Bologna and the Royal Society in the eighteenth century', in Notes and Records, vol. 56, pp. 3-25
Gomez Lopez, S. 1997. 'The Royal Society and Post-Galilean Science in Italy', in Notes and Records, vol. 51, pp. 35-44
Hall, M B. 1982-3. 'The Royal Society and Italy 1667-1795', in Notes and Records, vol. 37, pp. 63-81
Heap, B. 2003. 'From the dust of the Earth? Things come to life: spontaneous generation revisited by Henry Harris', in Notes and Records, vol. 57, pp. 107-108
Rivington, C A. 1985-6. 'Addendum. Early Printers to the Royal Society, 1663-1708', in Notes and Records, vol. 40, pp.219-220
S S, C. 1938. 'The Society's Library', in Notes and Records, vol. 1, pp. 21-27
Notes:
DSB gives 10 March 1628 as date of baptism, and gives death date as 29 November 1694. |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/85044 |
| Royal Society code | NA8222 |
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| IM/002945 | Malpighi, Marcello | 2001 |
| IM/002942 | Malpighi, Marcello | 1995 |
| IM/002943 | Malpighi, Marcello | 2001 |
| IM/002941 | Malpighi, Marcello | nd |
| M/144 | Malpighi, Marcello | 1897 |
| MM/15/44 | A duplicate of one of Marcello Malpighi's communications to the Society | 17th century |
| MM/20/55 | Letter from Thomas Henshaw to Robert Southwell | 16 May 1682 |
| IM/002940 | Malpighi, Marcello | 2001 |
| LBO/2/41 | Copy letter from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi | 20 December 1667 |
| NLB/15/354 | Copy letter from Robert Bellamy Clifton, to the President, Comitato Malpighi, Crevalcore | [August 1897] |
| NLB/15/418 | Copy letter from Robert William Frederick Harrison, to Dr Dukinfield Henry Scott, Fellow of the Royal Society | 27 September 1897 |
| NLB/15/692 | Copy letter from Robert William Frederick Harrison, to Miss Handley, 4 Devonshire Road, Merton, Surrey | 17 November 1897 |
| LBO/4/49 | Copy letter from Marcello Malpighi to Henry Oldenburg | 20 November 1670 |
| IM/002944 | Malpighi, Marcello | 2001 |
| NLB/71/398 | Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Dr. Pietro Capparoni, Rome [Italy] | 2 May 1928 |
| P/0085 | Portrait of Malpighi, Marcello | |
| CLP/4i/37/2 | Drawing, the breaking of glass by unknown author | [1669] |
| DM/5/100 | A list of benefactors to the Library, to the value of £5 or upwards at one time | c.1737 |
| CLP/9i/44 | Paper, account of the earthquakes in Italy on 9 and 11 January 1693 by Vincentius Bonajutus | 1693 |
| CLP/9i/45 | Paper, 'An account of the earthquakes in Sicilia on the ninth and elevent of January 1692/3' extracted from a letter sent by Vincentius Bonajutus | 1693 |
| CLP/4i/37/5 | Drawing, the shattering of glass by unknown author | [1669] |
| EL/G1/34 | Letter, from Nehemiah Grew to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 1672 |
| EL/O2/104 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 18 February 1673 |
| EL/O2/158 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 6 February 1675 |
| EL/O2/94 | Copy of a letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 1672 |
| EL/O2/144 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 26 March 1674 |
| EL/O2/77 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 22 February 1672 |
| EL/O2/69 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 18 January 1672 |
| CLP/4i/37/1 | Manuscript, 'A philosophical letter to the Grand Duke of Tuscany' by unknown author | [1669] |
| EL/O2/116 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 7 June 1673 |
| EL/O2/29 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 15 July 1670 |
| EL/O2/38 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 20 December 1670 |
| MS/103 | Malpighi Collection | 1668-1693 |
| CLP/4i/37/3 | Drawing, the breaking of a glass medallion by unknown author | [1669] |
| CLP/4i/37/4 | Drawing, the breaking of a glass medallion by unknown author | [1669] |
| EL/O2/83 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 24 April 1672 |
| EL/O2/9 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 5 August 1669 |
| EL/O2/95 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 1672 |
| EL/O1/93 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 22 December 1668 |
| EL/O2/61 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 14 December 1671 |
| EL/O2/167 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 16 February 1677 |
| CLP/4i/37 | Paper, 'A philosophical letter to the Grand Duke of Tuscany' by unknown author | [1669] |
| EL/O1/54 | Letter, from Henry Oldenburg to Marcello Malpighi, dated at London | 28 December 1667 |
| MC/17 | Volume 17 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society | 1897-1899 |