Gertrude Elion – 1988 Nobel Prize in Medicine
“I decided that nobody should suffer that much.” Severely shaken by the experience of watching her grandfather die of stomach cancer, Gertrude Elion emerged from her grief with incredible resolve. It seemed unlikely that she, a young woman living in the 1930s, would decide to pursue a career in medical research, since this was a heavily male-dominated field. And yet that is precisely the path she chose, for she was determined to cure cancer patients like her grandfather. And, against all odds, she was incredibly successful—successful enough to earn the 1988 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Click here to learn more: Gertrude Elion: The Purine Path to the Nobel Prize
Presented by Sasha Whittaker.
Image via Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved.
What were some of the difficulties Gertrude Elion faced in her research field?
Hi, Shariq! One of Elion’s greatest difficulties was earning a PhD. Her PhD program required her to commit full-time; but she was only able to pursue her studies part-time, which meant that she had to drop out of the program. She also encountered challenges finding interesting work. Her time spent in a food testing lab was painfully boring. But once she arrived at George Hitchings’ lab, she found a supportive environment and a great mentor who helped her overcome the challenges she faced.
Did she face any challenges in dealing with her male colleagues? How did she face those challenges in her male-dominated field?
Hi, Fadi! Gertrude Elion never felt intimidated by men, and that’s partly due to the fact that she went to an all-women’s college. A woman studying chemistry never seemed like a strange thing to her. Elion was fortunate to have joined George Hitchings’ lab, where she was treated as a man’s equal. Her male colleagues, especially Hitchings himself, were very supportive. So she was fortunate not to have encountered too many challenges being a woman in a male-dominated field.
What was Gertrude Elion’s main motivation behind her research?
Hi, Anna! I answered this question for Bethany – see below!
What do you think fueled her personal convictions into this professional field?
Hi, Bethany! Definitely the loss of her grandfather fueled her own conviction to pursue medical research. She believed that nobody should have to die from an potentially curable disease – and she set out to cure (or at least treat) these kinds of diseases.
What relationship did she have to City College?
Hi, Amanda! Gertrude Elion did her undergraduate work at Hunter College, although she did have an indirect relationship to City College, since her brother studied there.
What are some of her interests and hobbies?
Hi, Lisa! Gertrude Elion loved to travel – and I think she also enjoyed photography.
How much do you think George Hutchings can be credited to Gertrude Elion’s success?
Hi, Max! Hitchings can be certainly credited with getting Elion started in reserach – but after he provided her with a foundation of knowledge and technique, the rest of the research is definitely her own. So Hitchings can be credited to an extent, but he is not wholly responsible for her success.
You mentioned that Elion won the Nobel Prize with two other people. How did she meet and collaborate with these scientists?
Hi, Gautam! She met George Hutchings when she applied (and was hired) to be his lab assistant. Neither she nor Dr. Hutchings had any research partnership with Sir James Black, the other recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1988.
If you were in her shoes, what else would you explore pertaining to her studies?
Hi, Saffia! If I were in her shoes, I would have liked to continue developing an antiviral medication against AIDS. Elion’s lab continued this line of research after she retired – and I would personally be very interested in pursuing this research even further.
Did Elion’s family play any big role in her career?
Hi, Allen! Yes, Elion’s family did play a big role in her career. Her parents were incredibly supportive of her education and career as a researcher. She never married, however, and she had no children.
So do you think her being a woman actually contributed to her success in a sense?
Hi, Casey! I think in some ways you’re right, and maybe the fact that she was a woman did contribute to her success. Perhaps the fact that she was a woman working in biochemistry–which, at the time, was very unusual–caused her research to get a lot of attention.
Was Elion ever overlooked as a formidable scientist because she was a woman? Did this prejudice hurt or impair her research in any way?
Hi, Laura! Yes, she was often overlooked–even by the Nobel Committee itself! When she was nominated, the Committee couldn’t understand why George Hitchings was nominating his lab assistant. The Committee didn’t realize that Gertrude Elion was herself an independent researcher, and not merely an assistant. Perhaps the fact that she was a woman contributed to that mistake–it must have seemed unusual for a woman to be so independent.
Did she encourage women and underrepresented minorities to enter the scientific field?
Elion has worked for the WHO, American Association for Cancer Research and the National Cancer Institute. Is she known for any significant discoveries or research at those organizations?