Women Pioneers of Medical Research: Biographies of 25 Outstanding Scientists - Softcover

King-Thom Chung

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786429275 ISBN 13: 9780786429271

Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2009

Synopsis

While most laymen could recognize Florence Nightingale as the founder of modern nursing, it’s doubtful they could likewise identify Louise Pearce as one of the primary researchers in the cure for African Sleeping Sickness or Anna W. Williams as the discoverer of the diphtheria antitoxin. This book profiles 25 women who have made significant contributions to medical research, including Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Lydia Folger Fowler, Virginia Apgar, and Rosalind Franklin, among others. Each profile includes a general introduction and covers the woman’s childhood or family background, her formal education, her most valuable contributions to the field, and the important events or persons which influenced her life and career.

About this title

About the Author

King-Thom Chung has been a professor of microbiology and molecular toxicology at the University of Memphis since 1988. He pioneers research on azo dyes–induced cancer, and his work on genotoxicology of aromatic amines metabolically produced from azo dyes has received world recognition.

From Booklist

Women from Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762), who helped gain acceptance for the smallpox vaccine, to molecular biologist Alice Shih-Hou Huang (1939–) are presented in this collection of biographies. The author, a microbiologist, says in his preface that he is “interested in the life stories of scientific pioneers” and chose to focus on women because “they have been largely ignored.” The profiles, which are arranged chronologically, average six pages in length. Each begins with dates and an identifying phrase and covers childhood, family, education, and major influences as well as professional achievements. Further-reading lists are provided. An appendix contains brief information about other important people mentioned in the text. The biographies are very readable and do a good job of explaining the context and significance of each woman’s contributions. Apart from its relevance to medical history and women’s studies collections, it is worth considering by libraries that are developing collections of life stories. --Mary Ellen Quinn

Edition details

• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0786429275
• ISBN 13: 9780786429271
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 220