Rudolf Virchow’s advances in cellular pathology during the mid–1800s were revolutionary in the field of medicine.

He established the concept that diseases arise at the cellular level, formulating his famous principle “Omnis cellula e cellula” (every cell comes from a cell). This was a radical shift from the prevailing ideas that diseases were caused by imbalances of bodily fluids or humors. Virchow’s work laid the foundation for modern pathology by emphasizing that to understand diseases, one must first understand the changes occurring within the cells. His insight directly led to improved diagnostic techniques and treatments, particularly in the understanding of cancer, infectious diseases, and inflammation.

The cellular theory of diseases proved to be a pivotal discovery for modern medical science.