Charlotte Friend
Personal Information
Born: 1921
Died: 1987
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
Hunter College BA 1944; Yale University PhD 1950 Microbiology/Bacteriology
"None found"
— Charlotte Friend
Professional Life
Field of Study: Microbiology; Virology
Institution/Corporation: Hunter College; Mount Sinai Hospital; Sloan Kettering Institute
Degrees & Memberships: Honorary Degree: Brandeis University (1986); Member: Harvey Society; American Association for Cancer Research; NY Academy of Sciences; Advisory Committee for the Virus Cancer Program of NIH; Board of Scientific Counselors of the Division of Cancer Cause & Prevention of the National Cancer Institute; Gordon Conference (1973); National Academy of Sciences (1976)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 1954,1957 & 1962 Alfred P. sloan Award in Cancer Research; 1979 Prix Griffuel; 1982 Papanicolaou Award; Hunter College President's Medal; Virus-Cancer Program Award; 1984 Mount Sinai Jacobi Medallion; 1985 Mayor's Award in Science & Technology, New York City; Hunter College Hall of Fame; Yale Science & Engineering Association Award; Dameshek Medal
Achievements: while at Sloan Kettering Institute identified the Friend leukemia virus; helped to establish the concept of the oncovirus, studied the role of the host immune response in disease development, and helped define modern retrovirology; discovered Friend erythroleukemia cells; observed the cytodifferentiating effect of DMSO which laid the groundwork for the development of HDAC inhibitors; while at Mount Sinai School of Medicine discovered that a chemical called DMSO could spur leukemia cells to become red blood cells — effectively returning cancer cells back to normal;
Her techniques and characterisation studies allowed the future isolation of the human immunodeficiency virus & improved research on HIV
1956 discovered a particular virus caused leukemia in mice
was an outspoken critic of sexism in science & defended Rosalind Franklin's contributions to the discovery of the structure of DNA
1975 helped create the Israeli Cancer Research Fund
was renowned for her generosity in distributing Friend virus and Friend cells to those who wanted to work with them and for providing the necessary guidance and assistance
loved to travel & her sabbatical years (1963 and 1975) were spent in laboratories in Australia, Israel, France, and Italy
wrote a paper titled "Why I Want to Become a Bacteriologist" when she was 10
although hired as a professor she avoided classroom teaching in favor of pure research
spoke and wrote in favor of the rights of blacklisted colleagues during the 1950s McCarthy trials
was the 1st female president of the New York Academy of Sciences
was extremely close to her mother & lived with her until she died in 1961
father died when she was 3 leaving mother alone to care for the 4 children & they went on "relief"
enlisted in the US Navy after graduating in 1944 & was assigned to work in the hematology lab at US Naval Hospital Shoemaker in California
1966 began working as a professor & the director of the Center for Experimental Cell Biology at Mount Sinai Hospital
diagnosed with lymphomas on her 60th birthday & insisted the diagnosis remain secret, she died 5 years later
worked at Sloan Kettering Institute 1950-1966
published 163 papers