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.
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