Nobel prize winner Rita Levi-Montalcini, who passed away today aged 103.
Levi-Montalcini enrolled in medical school in 1930 despite her father's
objections (who believed that the role of a woman was to be a wife and
mother, not an academic). She earned a degree in medicine and surgery,
but her post-graduate career was cut short when Mussolini issued his
"Manifesto of Race" which barred those of Jewish
descent from professional careers. Rather than fleeing the country,
Levi-Montalcini chose to stay in Italy and continue her work alone. She
built a small research unit at her home and installed it in her bedroom.
She spent time on her research and as a physician during the war, and
then returned to academic life afterwards. In 1947 she joined Washington
University and became a full professor there in 1958. In 1962 she
established a research unit in Rome, splitting her time between there
and St. Louis, and in 1969 she became the Director of the Institute of
Cell Biology of the Italian National Council of Research.
In
1986, Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen were awarded the Nobel Prize in
physiology or medicine for isolating Nerve Growth Factor from tumor
cells.
Although she officially retired in 1977, she never
truly stopped working as a scientist or an educator. Eight years ago she
founded the European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) in Rome. She (with
her sister Paola) also founded the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation,
which focuses on the education of girls and young women in Africa. In
2001 she was appointed an Italian Senator-for-life.
Levi-Montalcini was truly an inspiring woman and she will be greatly missed.
Watch an interview with Levi-Montalcini here: http://bit.ly/ZMklM3
Read more about her life and work here: http://bit.ly/12QFbs8
Nobel prize winner Rita Levi-Montalcini, who passed away today aged 103.
Levi-Montalcini enrolled in medical school in 1930 despite her father's objections (who believed that the role of a woman was to be a wife and mother, not an academic). She earned a degree in medicine and surgery, but her post-graduate career was cut short when Mussolini issued his "Manifesto of Race" which barred those of Jewish descent from professional careers. Rather than fleeing the country, Levi-Montalcini chose to stay in Italy and continue her work alone. She built a small research unit at her home and installed it in her bedroom.
She spent time on her research and as a physician during the war, and then returned to academic life afterwards. In 1947 she joined Washington University and became a full professor there in 1958. In 1962 she established a research unit in Rome, splitting her time between there and St. Louis, and in 1969 she became the Director of the Institute of Cell Biology of the Italian National Council of Research.
In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for isolating Nerve Growth Factor from tumor cells.
Although she officially retired in 1977, she never truly stopped working as a scientist or an educator. Eight years ago she founded the European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) in Rome. She (with her sister Paola) also founded the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, which focuses on the education of girls and young women in Africa. In 2001 she was appointed an Italian Senator-for-life.
Levi-Montalcini was truly an inspiring woman and she will be greatly missed.
Watch an interview with Levi-Montalcini here: http://bit.ly/ZMklM3
Read more about her life and work here: http://bit.ly/12QFbs8
Levi-Montalcini enrolled in medical school in 1930 despite her father's objections (who believed that the role of a woman was to be a wife and mother, not an academic). She earned a degree in medicine and surgery, but her post-graduate career was cut short when Mussolini issued his "Manifesto of Race" which barred those of Jewish descent from professional careers. Rather than fleeing the country, Levi-Montalcini chose to stay in Italy and continue her work alone. She built a small research unit at her home and installed it in her bedroom.
She spent time on her research and as a physician during the war, and then returned to academic life afterwards. In 1947 she joined Washington University and became a full professor there in 1958. In 1962 she established a research unit in Rome, splitting her time between there and St. Louis, and in 1969 she became the Director of the Institute of Cell Biology of the Italian National Council of Research.
In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for isolating Nerve Growth Factor from tumor cells.
Although she officially retired in 1977, she never truly stopped working as a scientist or an educator. Eight years ago she founded the European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) in Rome. She (with her sister Paola) also founded the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, which focuses on the education of girls and young women in Africa. In 2001 she was appointed an Italian Senator-for-life.
Levi-Montalcini was truly an inspiring woman and she will be greatly missed.
Watch an interview with Levi-Montalcini here: http://bit.ly/ZMklM3
Read more about her life and work here: http://bit.ly/12QFbs8
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