# Rosalyn Sussman Yalow

> American medical physicist (1921-2011)

**Wikidata**: [Q107402](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107402)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalyn_Sussman_Yalow)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rosalyn-sussman-yalow

## Summary

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow was born July 19, 1921, in New York City.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] She worked as a physicist, physician, university teacher, and biophysicist.[11][12][13] Her field was biophysics. She was educated at New York University, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Hunter College, and Walton High School.Her employers included Yeshiva University and Hunter College. Her awards included the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, National Women's Hall of Fame, Canada Gairdner International Award, AMA Scientific Achievement Award, and National Medal of Science, plus 2 more.[14][15][16][17][18] She was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Académie Nationale de Médecine, and Graduate Women in Science.[19]She died May 30, 2011, in The Bronx, and the cause of death was disease.[20][2][3][4][5][6][7][10] She was buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery.[10].

## Summary
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow was an American medical physicist and biophysicist renowned for her pioneering work in radioimmunoassay (RIA), a technique that revolutionized medical diagnostics. She was the second woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1977) and made significant contributions to endocrinology, nuclear medicine, and medical research.

## Biography
- **Born**: July 19, 1921, in New York City, United States
- **Nationality**: American
- **Education**:
  - Hunter College (Bachelor of Arts, 1941)
  - University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (Ph.D. in Physics, 1945)
- **Known for**: Co-developing the radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique, which enabled precise measurement of hormones and other substances in blood
- **Employer(s)**:
  - Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital (later renamed James J. Peters VA Medical Center)
  - Montefiore Medical Center
  - Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- **Field(s)**: Medical physics, biophysics, nuclear medicine, endocrinology

## Contributions
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow co-developed the **radioimmunoassay (RIA)** in the late 1950s with Solomon Berson, a breakthrough that allowed scientists to measure minute quantities of hormones, vitamins, and drugs in blood. This technique became foundational in clinical diagnostics, particularly for insulin, thyroid hormones, and other biologically active substances. Her work led to advancements in diabetes research, cancer detection, and infectious disease monitoring.

She published over **400 scientific papers** and co-authored the influential textbook *Radioimmunoassay in Clinical Biochemistry* (1975). Her research also contributed to the understanding of **type 2 diabetes** and the role of insulin resistance.

## FAQs
### **What is Rosalyn Sussman Yalow best known for?**
She is best known for co-developing the **radioimmunoassay (RIA)**, a technique that revolutionized medical diagnostics by enabling the measurement of hormones and other substances in blood at extremely low concentrations.

### **Where did Rosalyn Sussman Yalow study?**
She earned her **Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College (1941)** and her **Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (1945)**.

### **What awards did Rosalyn Sussman Yalow receive?**
She received numerous accolades, including:
- **Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1977)**
- **Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1976)**
- **National Medal of Science (1988)**
- **Canada Gairdner International Award (1976)**
- Induction into the **National Women’s Hall of Fame (1993)**

### **What institutions was Rosalyn Sussman Yalow affiliated with?**
She worked primarily at the **Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital**, **Montefiore Medical Center**, and **Albert Einstein College of Medicine**, where she conducted her groundbreaking research.

### **How did Rosalyn Sussman Yalow impact medicine?**
Her development of **radioimmunoassay (RIA)** transformed clinical diagnostics, enabling early detection of diseases like diabetes, cancer, and hormonal disorders. This technique remains a cornerstone of modern medical testing.

## Why They Matter
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow’s work in **radioimmunoassay (RIA)** fundamentally changed medical diagnostics, allowing for precise, early detection of diseases that were previously difficult to diagnose. Her research laid the groundwork for modern endocrinology and nuclear medicine, influencing generations of scientists. As the second woman to win the **Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine**, she also broke barriers for women in STEM, inspiring future researchers.

## Notable For
- **Co-developer of radioimmunoassay (RIA)**, a revolutionary diagnostic technique.
- **Second woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1977)**.
- **First woman to receive the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1976)**.
- **Member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences**.
- **Over 400 published scientific papers** and co-author of *Radioimmunoassay in Clinical Biochemistry*.
- **Pioneering research in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes**.
- **Recipient of the National Medal of Science (1988)**.
- **Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame (1993)**.

## Body
### **Early Life and Education**
Rosalyn Sussman was born on **July 19, 1921**, in New York City to Jewish immigrant parents. She attended **Hunter College**, where she earned a **Bachelor of Arts in 1941**, excelling in physics and chemistry. Despite facing gender discrimination in academia, she pursued graduate studies at the **University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign**, becoming one of the few women in her physics Ph.D. program, which she completed in **1945**.

### **Career and Research**
After graduation, she joined the **Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital** (later the James J. Peters VA Medical Center), where she began her collaboration with **Solomon Berson**. Together, they developed **radioimmunoassay (RIA)** in the late 1950s, a technique that used radioactive isotopes to measure hormones and other substances in blood with unprecedented sensitivity.

Their work was initially met with skepticism but eventually became a standard diagnostic tool. Yalow’s research extended to **insulin resistance, diabetes, and endocrinology**, leading to over **400 published papers**. She also co-authored *Radioimmunoassay in Clinical Biochemistry* (1975), a foundational text in the field.

### **Awards and Recognition**
Yalow received numerous honors, including:
- **Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1977)** for her work on RIA.
- **Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1976)**.
- **National Medal of Science (1988)**.
- **Canada Gairdner International Award (1976)**.
- Induction into the **National Women’s Hall of Fame (1993)**.

She was also a **Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences** and a member of the **National Academy of Sciences**.

### **Legacy and Impact**
Yalow’s contributions to **medical physics and biophysics** revolutionized diagnostics, enabling early detection of diseases like diabetes, cancer, and hormonal disorders. Her work influenced **nuclear medicine, endocrinology, and clinical research**, and her achievements paved the way for women in STEM.

She passed away on **May 30, 2011**, leaving behind a legacy of scientific innovation and advocacy for women in science.

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8. [Table showing prize amounts. Nobel Foundation. 2019](https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2019/04/prize-amounts-2020.pdf)
9. [Rosalyn S. Yalow. National Women's Hall of Fame](https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/rosalyn-s-yalow/)
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