This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/dec/30/rita-levi-montalcini
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rita Levi-Montalcini obituary | Rita Levi-Montalcini obituary |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Rita Levi-Montalcini, who has died aged 103, was the joint winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for physiology and medicine. She opened up a huge new area of research into all aspects of normal and abnormal growth, including cancer. | Rita Levi-Montalcini, who has died aged 103, was the joint winner of the 1986 Nobel prize for physiology and medicine. She opened up a huge new area of research into all aspects of normal and abnormal growth, including cancer. |
| Based at the University of Washington in St Louis, Levi-Montalcini demonstrated that the dramatic changes to the number and pattern of nerve cells in chick embryos, induced experimentally by the local grafting of mouse tumour cells, were caused by a specific chemical – a protein – produced by the tumour cells. In 1952, to investigate this protein (called nerve growth factor) and the way it could communicate, she set up a collaboration with Stanley Cohen, a quiet clarinet-playing biochemist who had been appointed to Washington University as a postdoctoral fellow of the American Cancer Society. | Based at the University of Washington in St Louis, Levi-Montalcini demonstrated that the dramatic changes to the number and pattern of nerve cells in chick embryos, induced experimentally by the local grafting of mouse tumour cells, were caused by a specific chemical – a protein – produced by the tumour cells. In 1952, to investigate this protein (called nerve growth factor) and the way it could communicate, she set up a collaboration with Stanley Cohen, a quiet clarinet-playing biochemist who had been appointed to Washington University as a postdoctoral fellow of the American Cancer Society. |
| Cohen unravelled the detailed structure of nerve growth factor from purified material supplied by Levi-Montalcini and showed that it was widespread in the animal world. With Levi-Montalcini, he went on to identify receptor molecules on the membrane of developing cells. The growth factor was shown to control normal neural proliferation in the developing embryo through subtle timed release. Cohen then identified another growth factor that is specific to epidermal development. | Cohen unravelled the detailed structure of nerve growth factor from purified material supplied by Levi-Montalcini and showed that it was widespread in the animal world. With Levi-Montalcini, he went on to identify receptor molecules on the membrane of developing cells. The growth factor was shown to control normal neural proliferation in the developing embryo through subtle timed release. Cohen then identified another growth factor that is specific to epidermal development. |
| In the days before automatic protein sequencing, this painstaking work took almost a quarter of a century, but its relevance to the control of cell growth and hence to cancer was obvious and immense. Revealing the meticulous way in which growth is controlled by a sequence of chemical communications between cells, it revolutionised thinking in embryology. | In the days before automatic protein sequencing, this painstaking work took almost a quarter of a century, but its relevance to the control of cell growth and hence to cancer was obvious and immense. Revealing the meticulous way in which growth is controlled by a sequence of chemical communications between cells, it revolutionised thinking in embryology. |
| Levi-Montalcini could be dramatically and violently emotional, and earned fame by carrying experimental mice in her handbag from St Louis to Brazil in the 1950s, so that she could set up a specific research project with Carlos Chagas, who had the laboratory facilities she needed. She seemed able to face with equal equanimity the rigours of fascist cruelty and suppression that she was dealt as a Jew; the problems of practising underground medicine in wartime; the difficulties posed by prejudice and discrimination against women; and the near isolation and challenges of those working at the cutting edge of science. | Levi-Montalcini could be dramatically and violently emotional, and earned fame by carrying experimental mice in her handbag from St Louis to Brazil in the 1950s, so that she could set up a specific research project with Carlos Chagas, who had the laboratory facilities she needed. She seemed able to face with equal equanimity the rigours of fascist cruelty and suppression that she was dealt as a Jew; the problems of practising underground medicine in wartime; the difficulties posed by prejudice and discrimination against women; and the near isolation and challenges of those working at the cutting edge of science. |
| Born in Turin to the mathematician Adamo Levi and the painter Adele Montalcini, she was determined to study medicine and, after self-tutoring, had the good fortune to become a student at Turin University under Giuseppe Levi (no relation), one of Italy's greatest histologists. He was a powerful and effective teacher of science and of meticulous scientific method: two of Levi-Montalcini's fellow students, Renato Dulbecco and Salvador Luria, also won Nobel prizes. Under his guidance and protection, Levi-Montalcini overcame the entrenched sexism pervading medicine at this time. | Born in Turin to the mathematician Adamo Levi and the painter Adele Montalcini, she was determined to study medicine and, after self-tutoring, had the good fortune to become a student at Turin University under Giuseppe Levi (no relation), one of Italy's greatest histologists. He was a powerful and effective teacher of science and of meticulous scientific method: two of Levi-Montalcini's fellow students, Renato Dulbecco and Salvador Luria, also won Nobel prizes. Under his guidance and protection, Levi-Montalcini overcame the entrenched sexism pervading medicine at this time. |
| She had barely made up her mind to go into research when she was driven underground by fascist legislation which banned "non-Aryans" from all university posts and from practising medicine. With the help of her older brother Gino (who became one of Italy's great postwar architects), she assembled a secret laboratory in her bedroom at her parent's house in Turin. | She had barely made up her mind to go into research when she was driven underground by fascist legislation which banned "non-Aryans" from all university posts and from practising medicine. With the help of her older brother Gino (who became one of Italy's great postwar architects), she assembled a secret laboratory in her bedroom at her parent's house in Turin. |
| Making her own microsurgical and tissue-manipulating equipment – using, among other things, reshaped domestic sewing needles and modified watchmaker's tweezers — she began her fruitful investigation into normal and abnormal neural development and its mechanisms of control. Discovery of her activities could have resulted in imprisonment or death, but she attracted little interest by buying fertile eggs to investigate the early phases of nerve growth in chick embryos. As a bonus to concealment, many of the experiments could be eaten when they were finished. | Making her own microsurgical and tissue-manipulating equipment – using, among other things, reshaped domestic sewing needles and modified watchmaker's tweezers — she began her fruitful investigation into normal and abnormal neural development and its mechanisms of control. Discovery of her activities could have resulted in imprisonment or death, but she attracted little interest by buying fertile eggs to investigate the early phases of nerve growth in chick embryos. As a bonus to concealment, many of the experiments could be eaten when they were finished. |
| She chose to replicate some work published in the mid-1930s by the American scientist Viktor Hamburger, who had observed effects in chick embryo experiments that suggested that early neural proliferation specific to limbs depended on the presence of viable limb buds. There were obvious mysteries, particularly those of communication between cells. Before her studies could get fully under way, however, Giuseppe Levi emerged from hiding and asked if he could join her. Levi-Montalcini wrote, with typical humour, that she was very proud to have such an able scientist as her first research assistant. | She chose to replicate some work published in the mid-1930s by the American scientist Viktor Hamburger, who had observed effects in chick embryo experiments that suggested that early neural proliferation specific to limbs depended on the presence of viable limb buds. There were obvious mysteries, particularly those of communication between cells. Before her studies could get fully under way, however, Giuseppe Levi emerged from hiding and asked if he could join her. Levi-Montalcini wrote, with typical humour, that she was very proud to have such an able scientist as her first research assistant. |
| They were soon driven out of Turin by air-raids, but their research was continued in a country cottage owned by Levi-Montalcini's family, where the secret laboratory was reassembled. They were able to repeat and extend Hamburger's experiments, eventually deciding that although his findings were correct, his interpretation was not. | They were soon driven out of Turin by air-raids, but their research was continued in a country cottage owned by Levi-Montalcini's family, where the secret laboratory was reassembled. They were able to repeat and extend Hamburger's experiments, eventually deciding that although his findings were correct, his interpretation was not. |
| This enterprise was overtaken by the Nazi occupation. When Levi-Montalcini came out of hiding in 1944, she was quickly hired by the allies to work as a doctor-cum-nurse in refugee camps, where she shared with her patients the hazards of disease and death in appalling conditions. | This enterprise was overtaken by the Nazi occupation. When Levi-Montalcini came out of hiding in 1944, she was quickly hired by the allies to work as a doctor-cum-nurse in refugee camps, where she shared with her patients the hazards of disease and death in appalling conditions. |
| As soon after the end of the war as possible, she returned to Turin University to pick up her career, although she was uncertain about continuing with her wartime research. By then, some of her meticulous work with Levi had been published in Swiss and Belgian journals which were read in America. She was becoming quite widely known. | As soon after the end of the war as possible, she returned to Turin University to pick up her career, although she was uncertain about continuing with her wartime research. By then, some of her meticulous work with Levi had been published in Swiss and Belgian journals which were read in America. She was becoming quite widely known. |
| In 1946, Hamburger asked her to join him "for a few months" at Washington University in St Louis. His primary purpose was to find out who was right. The petite and elegant Levi-Montalcini was a physical contrast to Hamburger, who stood well over 6ft, as well as his temperamental opposite. While Levi-Montalcini could make large intuitive leaps driven by perceptive hunches, Hamburger worked slowly and meticulously, step by step. Nevertheless, within hours, Levi-Montalcini knew that she had found the right place to work. She remained there not for a few months, but for 30 years. | In 1946, Hamburger asked her to join him "for a few months" at Washington University in St Louis. His primary purpose was to find out who was right. The petite and elegant Levi-Montalcini was a physical contrast to Hamburger, who stood well over 6ft, as well as his temperamental opposite. While Levi-Montalcini could make large intuitive leaps driven by perceptive hunches, Hamburger worked slowly and meticulously, step by step. Nevertheless, within hours, Levi-Montalcini knew that she had found the right place to work. She remained there not for a few months, but for 30 years. |
| According to the easy-going Cohen, Levi-Montalcini "worked like a fiend" and had an almost obsessive drive to succeed during her research years at St Louis. She quickly became established as a world-class scientist, with her appointment to associate professor in 1956 followed, within two years, by appointment to full professor. | According to the easy-going Cohen, Levi-Montalcini "worked like a fiend" and had an almost obsessive drive to succeed during her research years at St Louis. She quickly became established as a world-class scientist, with her appointment to associate professor in 1956 followed, within two years, by appointment to full professor. |
| In 1962 she established a research unit in Rome, and from then onward divided her time between the two cities. From 1969 to 1978, she was the director of the institute of cell biology at the National Council of Research in Rome. | In 1962 she established a research unit in Rome, and from then onward divided her time between the two cities. From 1969 to 1978, she was the director of the institute of cell biology at the National Council of Research in Rome. |
| By the 70s, Levi-Montalcini was already deeply involved in cultural and social affairs, and had become increasingly vocal on the problems faced by female scientists. She lectured widely but did not preach. Her own research showed that, even by the 1980s, the proportion of senior research and academic posts held by women remained small. By the 90s, however, she acknowledged that things were changing. "After centuries of dormancy," she wrote, "young women … can now look toward a future moulded by their own hands." | By the 70s, Levi-Montalcini was already deeply involved in cultural and social affairs, and had become increasingly vocal on the problems faced by female scientists. She lectured widely but did not preach. Her own research showed that, even by the 1980s, the proportion of senior research and academic posts held by women remained small. By the 90s, however, she acknowledged that things were changing. "After centuries of dormancy," she wrote, "young women … can now look toward a future moulded by their own hands." |
| She became widely revered in Italy as a symbol of scientific achievement, integrity and social conscience. The country was shocked when, in 1994, the former health minister Duilio Poggiolini, who had been charged with corruption, alleged that Levi-Montalcini's Nobel prize had been bought by the Italian pharmaceutical company Fidia. Levi-Montalcini, who might have reacted angrily to what could have been taken as a personal smear, replied with distant and almost disdainful dignity, saying: "The allegations against Fidia cannot be true. The process for awarding Nobel prizes is so complex that it cannot be corrupted." Instead of being diminished by the event, her stature grew. She was still indomitable in old age. | |
| Levi-Montalcini was predeceased by Gino, her twin, Paola, and another sister, Anna. | Levi-Montalcini was predeceased by Gino, her twin, Paola, and another sister, Anna. |
| • Rita Levi-Montalcini, scientist, born 22 April 1909; died 30 December 2012 | • Rita Levi-Montalcini, scientist, born 22 April 1909; died 30 December 2012 |
| • Anthony Tucker died in 1998 | • Anthony Tucker died in 1998 |
Previous version
1
Next version