Esther Miriam Zimmer (later Lederberg) was born in the Bronx, New York, United States.
Esther Miriam Zimmer, later known as Esther Lederberg, was born on December 18, 1922, in the Bronx, New York. Born into a Jewish family during the economic challenges of the Great Depression, her early life was marked by perseverance in education. Her upbringing in this ambitious environment drove her interest in the sciences, setting a foundation for her groundbreaking contributions to genetics.