Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564), the Belgian anatomist who founded modern anatomy. The son of a pharmacist, he was made professor of anatomy and surgery at Padua by the age of 24. During the next 4 years he was busy with his research of anatomy based on human dissection. His results were published in 1543 in the famous book De Humani Corporis Fabrica (On Structure of the Human Body). The first accurate work on human anatomy, it included many descriptions and fine woodcuts. After this early success he became a court physician and all but gave up research.