Ruth L. Kirschstein
Encyclopedia
Ruth L. Kirschstein, M.D. (12 October 1926 – 6 October 2009) was a pathologist and science administrator at the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). Dr. Kirschstein served as director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences
, deputy director of NIH in the 1990s, and acting director of the NIH in 1993 and 2000-2002.
She was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and a member of the Institute of Medicine
. In 2002, Congress renamed the NIH graduate student fellowship program to the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award in honor of Dr. Kirschstein's work at the NIH.
and earning a medical degree
from Tulane University
in 1951. She interned in medicine and surgery at Kings County hospital and completed medical residencies
in pathology at Providence Hospital in Detroit, Tulane University Hospital
, and the Clinical Center at the NIH.
.
, laboratory medicine, virally
-induced cancer
and tested the safety of measles
and polio vaccine
s following the 1955 Cutter Incident.
In 1972, Dr. Kirschstein became deputy director of the Division of Biologics Standards, a research division that was transferred from NIH to the Food and Drug Administration
, where investigated the safety of the artificial sweetener cyclamate
. When she returned to the NIH in 1974, Dr. Kirschstein became the first woman to direct an institute when she was appointed the director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
.
Among the awards received by Dr. Kirschstein are the Georgeanna Seegar Jones
Women's Health Lifetime Achievement Award, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology's Public Service Award, the American Medical Association
's Dr. Nathan Davis Award, the Harvey Wiley FDA Special Citation, Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive (the country's highest civil service honor), the PHS Equal Opportunity Achievement Award, the Alice C. Evans Award, and superior service awards from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the United States Public Health Service
.
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(NIH). Dr. Kirschstein served as director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences is a part of the National Institutes of Health that primarily supports research that lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention...
, deputy director of NIH in the 1990s, and acting director of the NIH in 1993 and 2000-2002.
She was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and a member of the Institute of Medicine
Institute of Medicine
The Institute of Medicine is a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970, under the congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences...
. In 2002, Congress renamed the NIH graduate student fellowship program to the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award in honor of Dr. Kirschstein's work at the NIH.
Biography
Kirschstein was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1926. Although she had trained as a classical pianist, she pursued medicine, graduating in 1947 from Long Island UniversityLong Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
and earning a medical degree
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in 1951. She interned in medicine and surgery at Kings County hospital and completed medical residencies
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
in pathology at Providence Hospital in Detroit, Tulane University Hospital
Tulane Medical Center
The Tulane Medical Center is a hospital located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Tulane Medical Center has centers covering nearly all major specialties of medicine, and is the primary teaching hospital for the Tulane University School of Medicine...
, and the Clinical Center at the NIH.
Family
She was married for 59 years to Dr. Alan S. Rabson, a pathologist and a deputy director of the National Cancer InstituteNational Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
.
Research
Dr. Kirschstein joined NIH in 1955. She studied clinical pathologyClinical pathology
Clinical pathology , Laboratory Medicine , Clinical analysis or Clinical/Medical Biology , is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the laboratory analysis of bodily fluids, such as...
, laboratory medicine, virally
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
-induced cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and tested the safety of measles
Measles vaccine
Measles vaccine is a highly effective vaccine used against measles. The measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combo vaccine has been available since 2005...
and polio vaccine
Polio vaccine
Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
s following the 1955 Cutter Incident.
In 1972, Dr. Kirschstein became deputy director of the Division of Biologics Standards, a research division that was transferred from NIH to the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
, where investigated the safety of the artificial sweetener cyclamate
Cyclamate
Sodium cyclamate is an artificial sweetener. It is 30–50 times sweeter than sugar , making it the least potent of the commercially used artificial sweeteners. Some people find it to have an unpleasant aftertaste, but, in general, less so than saccharin or acesulfame potassium...
. When she returned to the NIH in 1974, Dr. Kirschstein became the first woman to direct an institute when she was appointed the director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Awards
She received honorary degrees from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Long Island University, Atlanta University, Medical College of Ohio, and Mount Sinai School of MedicineMount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is an American medical school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, currently ranked among the top 20 medical schools in the United States. It was chartered by Mount Sinai Hospital in 1963....
.
Among the awards received by Dr. Kirschstein are the Georgeanna Seegar Jones
Georgeanna Seegar Jones
Georgeanna Seegar Jones was part of the husband and wife team which pioneered in vitro fertilization in the United States. Her husband was Dr. Howard Jones....
Women's Health Lifetime Achievement Award, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology's Public Service Award, the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
's Dr. Nathan Davis Award, the Harvey Wiley FDA Special Citation, Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive (the country's highest civil service honor), the PHS Equal Opportunity Achievement Award, the Alice C. Evans Award, and superior service awards from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the United States Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service as the primary division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and...
.