Dorothy Hansine Andersen
Personal Information
Born: 1901
Died: 1963
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
Mt. Holyoke College BA Zoology & Chemistry 1922; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine MD 1926; Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons PhD Medical Sciences 1935
Professional Life
Field of Study: Medicine
Institution/Corporation: Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons; Babies Hospital at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (now NY Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital); University of Rochester; Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
Degrees & Memberships: Member: American Academy of Pediatricians*Honorary Chair Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 1039 E. Mead Johnson Award; 2002 National Women's Hal of Fame; 1954 Elizabeth Blackwell Award; 1963 Distinguished Service Medal, Columbian-Presbyterian Medical Center; 1948 Borden Award for Research in Nutrition; 1963 Great heart Award of the Variety Club of Philadelphia
Achievements: 1938 1st to identify & name CF as a separate disease; developed a simple diagnostic test for CF; during WWII developed a training program for surgeons doing open-heart surgery;
was an American physician, pediatrician, and pathologist who first identified, describe & name cystic fibrosis in 1938
developed a simple, definitive diagnostic test for it
during WWII developed a training program for surgeons pioneering in open-heart surgery
did path-breaking research in nutrition
1938 while doing an autopsy on a child who was suspected of dying from celiac disease she noticed a lesion in the pancreas which subsequently led to her identifying cystic fibrosis (CF) as a separate disease
taught anatomy at the University of Rochester
1928 was denied a surgical residency at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY because she was female
1929 joined the staff at the Dept of Pathology at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
considered herself a roofer, stone mason, carpenter & cabinet maker & made her own home improvements
Was considered a "character" by colleagues because she was outspoken, had an untidy lab, & held semi-annual "glug" parties in her lab in honor of her Scandinavian heritage
her father died when she was 13 & she assumed full responsibility for her invalid mother who died 7 years later
during WWII was a consultant to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
her papers can be found at Columbia University Irving Medical Center Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library
spent her leisure time at her cabin in the NJ Kittitinny Mountains