The 1934 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three men—George Whipple, George Richards Minot, and William P. Murphy—for their research into the use of liver tissue in treatment of pernicious anaemia. Frieda Robscheit-Robbins, who had co-authored twenty-one papers with Whipple (almost his entire body of published work) on the topic, was left out.
Marian Diamond is considered one of the founders of modern neuroscience, not least for her experimental discovery of brain plasticity—the fact that the brain physically changes with experience.
Immunologist Marian Koshland is known for discovering that the differences in antibodies’ amino acid make-up explain how efficient and effective they are at fighting off foreign elements.
Conducted by Martha Chase and Alfred Hershey, the Hershey-Chase experiment earned the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1969—not for Chase, but for Hershey.
Biochemist Barbara Low discovered the elemental components of penicillin that enabled mass production and conversion into other antibiotic compounds. Until then, the life-saving drug had not been successfully synthesised.
Neuroscientist Candace Pert discovered the opiate receptor—key to explaining how endorphins and opioids work chemically in the body—and was the first person to isolate the T cell receptor.
Helene Marsh is the world’s foremost authority on the ecology and conservation biology of dugongs and has played a central role in advancing scientific understanding of marine megafauna and management of coastal marine mammals.
While working at the Bureau of Animal Industry, Evans began investigating the bacteria Bacillus abortus, which was known to cause miscarriages in animals.
Australian researcher in plant biochemistry and genetics.
Eleanor Stodart worked in the CSIRO Division of Wildlife Research and later authored and illustrated many nature and science books for children, including the acclaimed ‘Australian Junior Field Guides’ series, campaigned tirelessly for quality science books, took a leading role in the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and was editor of the journal ‘Reading Time’.