Nico Gagelmann: Remarkable and forgotten women in the history of medicine and science

Nico Gagelmann, Physician and scientist and also serves as the chair of the EBMT subcommittee, shared this post on X:

“Women in the history of medicine and science have been underrepresented.

Here’s a short thread on remarkable (and forgotten) women.”

“Marie Curie (1867-1934):

– Fundamentally reshaped the fields of radioactivity and medical science.

– First woman to win a Nobel Prize and only person to win different scientific fields (Physics 1903, Chemistry 1911)

– Discovered polonium & radium.

– Isolated radioactive isotopes.”

“Alice Ball (1892-1916):

– American chemist.

– Developed the first effective treatment for leprosy using a derivative from the chaulmoogra tree.

– Her ground breaking method was used until the 1940s but remained largely uncredited to her until recent years.”

“Gerty Cori (1896-1957):

– First woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1947).

– Discovered the process of glycogen conversion in the body essential for understanding diabetes.

– Overcame significant barriers to gain recognition in a male-dominated field.”

“Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958):

– Often overshadowed.

– Her X-ray diffraction work was crucial to the discovery of the DNA double helix.

– Despite her pivotal contributions, she was not included in the Nobel Prize awarded to Watson, Crick, and Wilkins.

– Her legacy is undeniable.

For reference, Click here.”

“Nettie Stevens (1861-1912):

– Discovered the role of X and Y chromosomes in sex determination, revolutionizing genetics  laid the foundation for the chromosomal theory of inheritance .

– Yet she remains relatively unknown compared to her male counterparts.”

“Yvonne Barr (1932-2016):

– Co-discoverer of the Epstein-Barr virus mononucleosis and associated with lymphoma.

– Her work has been foundational to understanding various cancers and autoimmune diseases.

– Her contributions often get overshadowed by her male collaborators.

For reference, Click here.”

“Dorothy Hansine Andersen (1901-1963):

– Physician and pathologist.

– First to identify and describe cystic fibrosis in 1938  its inheritance through a recessive gene  development of diagnostic tests and treatments.

– First to describe Glycogen storage disease type IV.”

“Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012):

– Italian neurologist.

– Discovered Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) crucial for understanding neurobiology.

– Despite facing anti-Semitic laws in Italy, she continued her research secretly and eventually won the Nobel Prize in 1986.”

“Helen Brooke Taussig (1898-1986):

– Founder of pediatric cardiology.

 – Developed the first successful treatment for “blue baby syndrome” in the 1940s, saving countless lives.

– Despite her hearing impairment, her work revolutionized congenital heart surgery.”

“Barbara McClintock (1902-1992):

– Pioneering cytogeneticist.

– Discovered transposons.

– Produced first genetic map for maize, linking regions of chromosome to physical traits.

– Demonstrated role of telomere and centromere.

– Won a Nobel Prize in 1983 for her ground breaking work.”

“Hilde Mangold (1898-1924):

– Pioneering embryologist.

– Her doctoral thesis provided key insights into development of organisms  concept of the “organizer region” in embryos.

– Contributed to Nobel Prize in 1935 for Hans Spemann BUT she herself was not recognized in her lifetime.

For reference, Click here.”

“Rachel Carson (1907-1964):

– Environmental activism.

– Marine biologist.

– Author of Silent Spring exposed the dangers of pesticides sparking the modern environmental movement.

– Her scientific work reshaped policy and public perception.”

“Florence Sabin (1871-1953):

– Trailblazer in anatomy and immunology.

– First woman to hold a professorship at Johns Hopkins and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

– Produced 3d model of a newborn baby’s brain stem.

– Research on blood cell formation and tuberculosis.

For reference, Click here.”

Click here for References & resources.

“The list of women is not complete.

Thanks for reading and happy to receive comments of other examples.”

Nico Gagelmann is a physician and scientist who co-founded and co-chairs the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Trainee Committee, and he also serves as the chair of the EBMT subcommittee focused on CAR-T cell therapies for plasma cell disorders. His work is particularly impactful in the realm of CAR-T treatments for multiple myeloma, where he has contributed to advancing research and clinical approaches.