Lewis Zimmerman
Doctor Lewis Zimmerman was a noted 24th century Human scientist and holo-engineer.
Responsible for the creation and development of the Emergency Medical Hologram ("EMH"), he is considered to be the father of modern holography.
Born in 2320 in New Jersey, a state on Earth, he graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2342 (aged 22).
He was assigned to the Holo-Programming Center at Jupiter Station in 2361, and by 2373 was Director of Holographic Imaging and Programming at the station.
In an attempt to improve the EMH, Zimmerman sought to create a new long-term medical holographic program, selecting Julian Bashir as the persona's newest template.
As Dr. Zimmerman lived and worked at Jupiter Station constantly, he rarely left. He had holographic companions, including a fly named Roy, an iguana called Leonard, and his personal assistant Haley (who was the first sentient hologram Zimmerman programmed). He was especially close to Haley, and considered her more than a hologram.
By early-2377, Dr. Zimmerman was terminally ill, and was only expected to live a few more months. In preparation, he began dictating his last will and testament, leaving most of his belongings to Reginald Barclay. In an attempt to find a cure for his dear friend, Barclay contacted the USS Voyager via the Pathfinder Project. Voyager's doctor, an EMH dubbed simply The Doctor, had unique knowledge of rare diseases due to his time in the Delta Quadrant. Finding similarities between Zimmerman's disease and the Vidiian plague the Phage, the Doctor requested that he be sent to the Alpha Quadrant to administer the treatment himself.
At first reluctant at being treated by an earlier version of his medical hologram, The Doctor implored the help of Zimmerman's friends and crewmates to convince him to be treated.
The Doctor created a medicine to help treat Zimmerman's degrading intercellular proteins, and is able to move forward with a 32-hour procedure. Zimmerman will recover, with the aid of supplemental medicine.
