Giuseppe Brotzu was born in Ghilarza, a town of the Province of Oristano, Sardinia.

Brotzu is recognized as the discoverer of the cephalosporin-based antibiotics, that were first isolated from cultures of Cephalosporium (now known as Acremonium) in 1948.

[3] He noticed that these cultures produced substances that were effective against Salmonella typhi, the cause of typhoid fever,[1] which had beta-lactamase.

He was awarded the Laurea ad honorem at the University of Oxford in 1971, and was a candidate also for the Nobel Prize.

Giuseppe Brotzu was elected President of Sardinia in 1955, and Mayor of Cagliari in 1960.