ALWAYS THERE the Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ABOUT THE AUTHOR THERE ARE VERY FEW people who have such a profound impact on their professions that the Alison F. Davis, Ph.D., is a freelance science and telling of their life story is also a recounting of the science policy writer living near Washington, DC. history of their time and place. Ruth L. Kirschstein, Alison earned a B.S. in biochemistry from Virginia M.D., who provided direction and leadership to the Polytechnic Institute and State University and a Ph.D. The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D. Kirschstein, Lillian Ruth of Life Remarkable The THERE ALWAYS National Institutes of Health (NIH) through much in pharmacology from Georgetown University. While of the second half of the 20th century, was one finishing postdoctoral research at Stanford University such person. At a moment in time when profes- in the mid-1990s she discovered that she could feed sional service to the government is often not given her dual passion for science and words by commu- the respect it deserves, the story of Ruth’s life, and nicating science to nonscientists. She completed the the positive effect she had on public policy, public Science Communication program at the University of health, and the training of several generations of California, Santa Cruz, and began her writing career biomedical researchers, should inspire those consid- at The Stanford Daily, The Palo Alto Weekly, and ering public service and give great satisfaction to NASA’s Ames Research Center, where she worked those currently serving the nation and the world. with the Lunar Prospector moon mission. Ruth Kirschstein was the daughter of immigrant Since 1998, Alison has written for several compo- parents who weathered the disgraceful prejudice nents of the NIH, including the Office of the Director and stereotyping of women and Jews, which would and several institutes and centers, and as a speech- ALWAYS THERE have prevented her professional contributions if not writer for senior scientists in and out of the NIH. She for her perseverance and hard work. She went on to had the opportunity to watch Ruth Kirschstein in The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D. become a key player in the development of a safe action on several occasions, learning firsthand about and effective polio vaccine, the first woman director this woman’s deep love of science and the NIH and of a major institute at the NIH, and a champion of hearing many personal accounts of her special rela- the importance of basic biomedical research and tionships with so many people. training programs that provided opportunity to Alison has also written for the Lymphoma Research all talented students, especially underrepresented Foundation, the Darwin Awards series of books, and minority students. the Presidential Commission on Bioethical Issues. In Ph.D. Davis, F. Alison She was both a guiding force and witness to much of addition to being a fanatic about science and words, the drama that NIH research brought to the public’s she is a music lover and an outdoor enthusiast and attention: the polio vaccine, the Women’s Health lives in Clarksville, MD, with her husband, two sons, Initiative, recombinant DNA research, congressional and several pets. budget hearings, and the eventual strong bipartisan support that the NIH now enjoys from both houses of Congress. In an engaging and informal account of Ruth’s life, Alison Davis brings out the humanity and ,6%1 the strength of character that enabled the success of ! this remarkable public servant. Michael M. Gottesman, M.D. NIH Deputy Director for Intramural Research Alison F. Davis, Ph.D. Bethesda, Maryland THERE ARE VERY FEW people who have such a profound impact on their professions that the telling of their life story is also a recounting of the history of their time and place. Ruth L. Kirschstein, M.D., who provided direction and leadership to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through much of the second half of the 20th century, was one such person. At a moment in time when profes- sional service to the government is often not given the respect it deserves, the story of Ruth’s life, and the positive effect she had on public policy, public health, and the training of several generations of biomedical researchers, should inspire those consid- ering public service and give great satisfaction to those currently serving the nation and the world. Ruth Kirschstein was the daughter of immigrant parents who weathered the disgraceful prejudice and stereotyping of women and Jews, which would have prevented her professional contributions if not for her perseverance and hard work. She went on to become a key player in the development of a safe and effective polio vaccine, the first woman director of a major institute at the NIH, and a champion of the importance of basic biomedical research and training programs that provided opportunity to all talented students, especially underrepresented minority students. She was both a guiding force and witness to much of the drama that NIH research brought to the public’s attention: the polio vaccine, the Women’s Health Initiative, recombinant DNA research, congressional budget hearings, and the eventual strong bipartisan support that the NIH now enjoys from both houses of Congress. In an engaging and informal account of Ruth’s life, Alison Davis brings out the humanity and the strength of character that enabled the success of this remarkable public servant. Michael M. Gottesman, M.D. NIH Deputy Director for Intramural Research Bethesda, Maryland ALWAYS THERE The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D. ALISON F. DAVIS, PH.D. ALWAYS THERE The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D. By Alison F. Davis, Ph.D. Copyright ©2011 National Institutes of Health All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. Book design by Crabtree + Company, Falls Church, Virginia Cover photos (from left to right): Arnold Rabson and Barbara Barnett, NIH History Office, and Kay Chernush First edition: December 2011 ISBN 978-0-9797540-4-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2011943554 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword iv Getting to Know Ruth Kirschstein vi CHAPTER 1 Coming of Age 1 CHAPTER 2 A Perfect Match 10 CHAPTER 3 The Life Worth Living 20 CHAPTER 4 Seeds of Social Justice 27 CHAPTER 5 Chasing Down Disease 34 CHAPTER 6 A Crippling Disease 44 CHAPTER 7 From Dream to Nightmare 52 CHAPTER 8 A Leader is Born 62 CHAPTER 9 No One Ever Died of General Medical Sciences 74 CHAPTER 10 Power to the People 85 CHAPTER 11 Time for a Revolution 96 CHAPTER 12 Research Saves Lives 107 CHAPTER 13 Pay It Forward 115 CHAPTER 14 Winds of Change 125 CHAPTER 15 At the Helm 135 CHAPTER 16 Always There, Always Prepared 148 CHAPTER 17 Ruth’s World 154 Reference Notes 162 Acknowledgments 168 FOrewORD The modern world is one of celebrity and notoriety. We live during a time in which recognition seems to be bestowed more generously for bad deeds than for good ones and is more often than not the product of self-interest. Therefore, it is truly gratifying when we have an opportunity to look back and recognize the contributions of those who change the world, quietly, through their keen insight, their instinctive generosity, and their selfless hard work. Ruth Kirschstein, whom we were fortunate to know as a devoted mother and a loving wife, was one of those rare people who truly made a difference for the good in this challenging world. Over the span of her life she was a classically trained pianist, an accomplished scientist, a highly effective admin- istrator, and a brilliant advocate for science and scientists. She brought to each of these roles an unparalleled dedication, passion, and seemingly limitless ability to achieve. Ruth was simply “always there.” Her overflowing enthusiasm enriched the lives of everyone around her: at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in the wider scientific community, and even in low-income communities in Washington, DC, where she inspired schoolchildren by revealing to them the excitement of science. From childhood, Ruth showed strength of character, dedication, enthusiasm, passion for social justice, and an appreciation of beauty in all its forms. She had an uncanny ability to see potential in others, and she knew the power of attention and of words to transform. Throughout her long career, her various talents directly touched literally tens of thousands of people, from laboratory assistants on the NIH campus, to those scientists and administrators whom she mentored personally, to researchers across the country, to members of Congress. Although only a few know much about Ruth’s scientific contributions in virology and pathology, these efforts were among her proudest achievements. Millions have benefited from the broader reach of Ruth’s work, through the polio vaccine safety test that helped vanquish a horrific paralyzing disease from many corners of the world as well as through the support of young scientists working at the front lines of discovery whose contributions will further future public health in innumerable ways. This biography provides a window to view Ruth’s extraordinary life and gives us a chance to apply the broad themes and touching details within iv Always There: The Remarkable Life of Ruth Lillian Kirschstein, M.D. the context of our own lives. There is no question that Ruth would not have wanted the recognition afforded through a book, seeing instead the need to “get on with things.” But we and her NIH family could not let the story of this remarkable woman go untold. We believe that, quietly and humbly, she would have been touched by what this book represents: a celebration of the progress that resulted from her energy and her passion.