By Zahrah
Who She Was:
Gerty Cori was a scientist who had a significant impact on the world of science, particularly biochemistry. She is credited with paving the way for fundamental questions about human bodily functions. Gerty Theresa Radnitz was born on August 15, 1896, in Prague. Cori's fascination and adoration for the sciences began at a young age, thanks to her uncle's encouragement and mentoring. She was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She was the third woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in general sciences.
Where She Studied:
She applied to medical school after receiving encouragement from her family, particularly her uncle. It should be noted that few women were able to pass the entrance exam due to gender restrictions. She enrolled in medical school at the age of 18 after spending a year cramming for the "hardest examination she had ever encountered." Carl Cori, her husband and lifelong lab partner, met her at medical school.
How She Impacted the Field of Biochemistry:
Greta and her husband, Carl, first worked together on tumour metabolism in the 1920s. Later, they focused on carbohydrate metabolism, researching how the body generates and stores energy. Little was known about how the body kept an endless source of energy. They discovered glucose-1-phosphate, a glucose derivative, in 1936, which is the form in which sugar, or glucose, is stored in muscles. It is known as the Cori ester and plays a crucial role in the glucose conversion process. They also discovered phosphorylase, the enzyme that degrades glycogen in the Cori ester. Based on their findings, the Coris were able to demonstrate how muscle glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in muscles) is broken down to lactic acid, transported to the liver, where it is converted to glucose, and then cycled back to the muscle to serve as an energy source.
Recognition:
Gerty Cori was finally promoted to places that matched her abilities. She was appointed research associate at Washington University in St. Louis in 1938 and associate professor of research in 1940. The Coris were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1947 for "discovering the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen." Following her international acclaim, the University would finally promote her to full professor. Gerty Cori was diagnosed with bone marrow disease that same year. She died of the condition in 1957, following liver failure.
Though the couple received many awards, Gerty Cori was excluded from some of the recognition. While all their work was collaborative, she wasn’t elected to the National Academy of Science until eight years after her husband’s election. Carl was the single recipient of the American Public Health Association's Albert Lasker Award and the American Chemical Society's renowned Willard Gibbs Medal. Gerty did earn the Society's Garvan Medal in 1948, which is given to women who have excelled in the field of chemistry.
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