Gerty Radnitz Cori

Gerty Radnitz Cori 1896 - 1957 The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1947

Picture taken from: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1947/cori-gt-bio.html

Brief Profile • • • •

Born in Prague and later became an American citizen Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine (1947) For the discovery of the course of catalytic conversion of glycogen The Cori Crater on the moon was named in memory of her work

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First American woman and married couple to be awarded the Nobel Prize At the Washington Universty School of Medicine, her husband, Dr Carl Cori was the Chairperson of the Dept. of Pharmacology whilst she was a mere research assistant

Inspiration •

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Faced immense prejudice against her gender Husband, Dr Cori received many job offers but was adamant that his wife be given a job offer as well “Find Me A Cure” – sentence that would later spark a undying passion to study Glucose metabolism

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Afflicted by the rare disease of Myelofibrosis – A debilitating disease of the bone marrow that slowly reduces production of RBC She worked through her illness that lasted a decade before she succumbed to the illness in 1957 at the age of 61

Gerty Cori’s Work…

Studies on carbohydrate metabolism (whole animals  tissue extracts & isolated enzymes) 1936 – Isolation of glucose-1-phosphate (Cori ester)  discovered role of glycogen phosphorylase enzyme  involved in conversion of glucose to glycogen 

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Isolation & purification of enzymes involved in glycogencori ester reaction  roles of enzymes determined 1939 – Enzymatic synthesis of glycogen in vitro

Studies on effect of hormones on hexokinase enzyme  observed pituitary extracts inhibiting hexokinase & insulin cancels out the inhibition

Influence on Current Knowledge… 

Cori Cycle

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Evidence of inter-conversion between muscle glycogen & blood glucose led to formulation of Cori cycle

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Hormonal influence of carbohydrate metabolism

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Discovery of hormones regulating glycogen metabolism has allowed us to understand the metabolism fully Biochemical basis to develop treatment for diabetes

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Challenges faced: 1. Early Education • Home-schooled, Girls’ finishing school 2. World War I • Anti-Semitism in Europe 3. Discrimination in America • Finding a job, “Nepotism” rules • 13 years research associate (WW II irony) 4. Health • Diagnosed with anemia – before Stockholm

Inspiration for Other Females • • • • •

First American woman to win Nobel Prize Was marginalized in non-tenure track research positions at token salaries Never stopped pursuing her lifelong interest despite gender discrimination and nepotism Voracious reader, focused, hard-driving and tireless worker Sympathetic to other women in research

References • •

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Cori, C.F. & Cori, G.T. (1947).Biography: Gerty Cori http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1947/cori-gt-bio.html Cori, Carl; and Cori, Gerty. (2006). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 9, 2006, from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9026290 http://www.squaldrina.com/links/medicine/corithe.htm http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php?action=viewone&id=44 Nobel Prize Women in Science: Their Lives, Struggles, and Momentous Discoveries, Second Edition (1993) Joseph Henry Press (JHP) Available at: http://darwin.nap.edu/books/0309072700/html/91.html