Rosalyn Yalow

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

Rosalyn Yalow (1921–2011) shattered barriers in science as the second woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1977) for inventing radioimmunoassay (RIA), a technique detecting hormones and viruses at minute concentrations. Her work enabled breakthroughs in diabetes, hepatitis, and hormone research.

Despite facing gender discrimination, Yalow persisted in nuclear physics. At the Bronx VA Hospital, she partnered with Solomon Berson to develop RIA, which measures substances like insulin in blood with unprecedented precision. Initially dismissed, their method became a cornerstone of modern diagnostics.

Yalow’s research also advanced understanding of peptide hormones, impacting treatments for growth disorders and infertility. She advocated for women in STEM, famously stating, 'We cannot expect in the immediate future that all women who seek it will achieve full equality of opportunity.'

Her accolades include the National Medal of Science and membership in the National Academy of Sciences. Yalow’s story underscores how perseverance and innovation can redefine medical science.