Rosalyn Sussman Yalow
Personal Information
Born: 1921
Died: 2011
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
Hunter College BA Physics 1941; University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign MA 1942, PhD 1945 Nuclear Physics; also took Physics classes at NYU; diploma American Board of Radiology 1951
Professional Life
Field of Study: Medical Physics
Institution/Corporation: Bronx VA Hospital
Degrees & Memberships: Honorary Degrees: Bar-Ilan University Israel*Columbia University*Hunter College*Johsn Hopkins University*NY Medical college*Princeton University*University of Ghent Belgium*Universite Claude Bernard France*University of Illinois*Washington University*Yeshiva University; Member: American Academy of Arts & Sciences (1978) National Academy of Sciences (1975) Fellow NY Academy of Science*American College of Nuclear Physicians* Associate Fellow in Physics American College of Radiology*Endocrine society
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 1977,co-winner Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; 1972, Dickson Prize; 1975, AMA Scientific Achievement Award; 1976, Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research; 1979, President's Award for distinguished Federal Civilian Service; 1988, National Medal of Science; 1972, Middleton Award for Excellence in Research; 1961, Eli Lilly Award, American Diabetes Association; 1962, Gairdner Foundation International Award; 1962, American College of Physicians Award; 1972, Koch Award, Endocrine society; 1977, Golden Plate Award, American Academy of achievement; 1993, National women's Hall of fame; 1975, A Cressy Morrison Award in Natural Sciences, NY Academy of sciences; 1968, Van Slyke Award, American Association of Clinical Chemists; 1975, Boehringer-Mannheim Award, American Association of Clinical Chemists
Achievements: Developer of Radioimmunoassay techniques with Dr. Solomon Benson; they tracked insulin by injecting radioactive iodine into patients' blood; designed, built, & organized 1 of the 1st radioisotope labs in the US
With Dr. Solomon Benson developed radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique, a method for measuring concentrations of substances in blood; 1977 co-winners of Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for RIA
Viewed the traditional role of a homemaker as a priority & devoted herself to the duties of motherhood & wife; incorporated her home life in her work life whenever she could
1941, was the only female faculty member out of 400 when she accepted a position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign & was the 1st female since 1917 to attend or teach at the Engineering College
Shunned women's organizations & didn't approve of special considerations for women; wasn't a champion of improving women's treatment or representation in science
1946, began teaching at Hunter College; steered Mildred Dresselhaus away from a career teaching primary school & into a research career
By 1950 equipped a radioisotope lab at the Bronx VA Hospital & left teaching to do full-time research; this was where she & Benson developed RIA
She & Benson refused to patent their work
"Mother of Endocrinology" has been offered as a fitting title for her
1st American-born female to win a Nobel in a scientific field