Rosalyn Sussman Yalow, Ph.D.

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow, Ph.D.

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow was a pioneering Jewish-American medical physicist whose work transformed diagnostic medicine. Born in the Bronx, New York, to an Orthodox Jewish family, Yalow developed an early interest in science, which was further encouraged by her high school chemistry teacher. She attended Hunter College, where she graduated in 1941, and later earned her Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1945, becoming one of few women in the field at the time.

In the 1950s, at the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital, Yalow collaborated with Dr. Solomon Berson to develop the radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. This groundbreaking method allowed for the precise measurement of hormones and other substances in the blood, revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, including diabetes and hormonal disorders. Despite its significant commercial potential, Yalow and Berson chose not to patent RIA, ensuring its widespread adoption in medical research and practice. In recognition of her contributions, Yalow received numerous honors, including the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, making her the first American-born woman to receive this award. She continued her research and mentorship roles at institutions like Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Veterans Administration until her retirement. Yalow passed away in 2011, leaving behind a legacy of scientific excellence and dedication to public health.