Rosalyn Sussman Yalow

Nobel laureate who co-developed radioimmunoassay, transforming medical diagnostics.

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (1921–2011) was an American medical physicist whose development of radioimmunoassay (RIA) revolutionized hormone measurement and diagnostics. Despite facing gender barriers in science, Yalow became the second woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1977). Her work with Solomon Berson enabled the detection of minute biological substances, such as insulin, in blood, transforming endocrinology and diabetes research.

Yalow’s persistence in a male-dominated field paved the way for women in STEM. RIA’s applications extended to virology, oncology, and pharmacology, saving countless lives through early disease detection. She advocated for nuclear medicine’s potential, as seen in her Nobel lecture, emphasizing science’s role in societal progress.

Her legacy underscores the importance of curiosity-driven research. By refusing to patent RIA, Yalow ensured global access to this life-saving technology, embodying the ethos that science serves humanity above profit.