1898 - 1980
Overview:
Women for some time were denied access to the “tough” sciences. Rachael Brown ventured into this “man’s world” and became the first scientist to come up with an antibiotic that cures fungal infections in humans. She was a pioneer in her field and invested all of the money raised off this miracle-of-the-twentieth-century back into the study of human viruses.
Country:
United States of America
Type
of hero: Environmental, Cultural and Development Rights
Attributes:
Philanthropy, Scientist
Biography:
Rachel Brown was raised in Missouri where she was encouraged to collect specimens of insects such as moths and butterflies. Despite her initial grounding in all things biological, she chose to go on to study history and chemistry at Holyoke College. The experimental method and exactness of chemistry appealed to her and she gained her MSc in organic chemistry form the University of Chicago in 1921. She undertook further study in a number of areas, and when not studying, she taught chemistry at Francis Shimer School near Chicago.
In 1926, she began work with the New York State Department of Health. She spent 42 years working there in a range of positions from Research assistant through to senior biochemist and research scientist. Her early work included research into the causes of pneumonia (pneumococcus bacteria). In 1949, she began a research project with Elizabeth Hazen to isolate an antifungal antibiotic from soil samples. The aim was then to see the extent to which this might be safe to use with humans.
They isolated the first antifungal antibiotic, which they called Nystatin. This has been used to control human fungal infections as well as fighting Dutch Elm disease and killing mildew on paintings.
Hazen and Brown invested all the income from Nystatin (over $13 million) in the non-profit Brown Hazen Fund for scientific research. Their generosity has provided for a great deal of further medical research; their example has inspired many women to pursue a scientific career.
Citations
& References:
Links:
http://web.mit.edu/invent/www/inventorsA-H/HazenBrown.html
http://www.invent.org/book/book-text/14.html
http://encarta.msn.com/index/conciseindex/B4/0B442000.htm?z=1&pg=2&br=1
References
Uglow, J., (Ed) 1999 The Macmillan Dictionary of Women’s Biography London, Macmillan (p. 91)
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