Linda C. Meade-Tollin facts for kids

Linda Celida Meade-Tollin (born August 16, 1944) is an American biochemist and cancer researcher. A biochemist studies the chemistry of living things. Dr. Meade-Tollin's work focused on understanding how cells work and how diseases like cancer develop.

At the University of Arizona, she researched how DNA can be damaged and how new blood vessels grow (called angiogenesis). She also studied how cancer spreads in the body. Dr. Meade-Tollin was also a leader, directing the Office of Women in Science and Engineering at the university. She was the first female chairperson of a group called the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE).

Early Life and Education

Linda Meade-Tollin was born in London, West Virginia, on August 16, 1944. Her father, Robert Alfred Meade, was a dentist. Her mother, Virginia May Meade, was a teacher.

Linda was a very bright student. She skipped two grades and started high school at a young age. Her first year of high school was special because it was the first time the school allowed students of all races to learn together. It was also the first chance for girls like Linda to take science classes.

College Studies

At just 16 years old, Linda Meade-Tollin began college at West Virginia State College. She chose to study chemistry. She was also a member of the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science, in 1964 when she was 19.

She then went on to Hunter College to continue her studies. In 1969, she earned a Master of Science degree in biochemistry. After working at two hospitals, she started a Ph.D. program in chemistry at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). She later switched to biochemistry. In 1972, she completed her Ph.D. by writing a thesis about how genes work in bacteria called E. coli.

Career in Science

After finishing her Ph.D., Dr. Meade-Tollin became a professor at the State University of New York at Old Westbury. At the same time, she was a visiting professor at Rockefeller University. There, she worked with a research team studying sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder.

Research at the University of Arizona

In 1975, Dr. Meade-Tollin moved to Tucson to work at the University of Arizona. She received a special research fellowship from the National Institutes of Health. At that time, she was the only Black woman leading a biomedical research lab there. Her research focused on important topics like DNA damage and how cancer grows and spreads.

One of her key research areas was angiogenesis. This is the process where new blood vessels form. She developed a new way to study this process using human cells. This method helped researchers test plants and fungi from the desert. They were looking for natural ingredients that could be used to create new cancer medicines.

Supporting Women in Science

At the University of Arizona, Dr. Meade-Tollin also directed the Office of Women in Science and Engineering. She spent a lot of time organizing workshops and conferences. Her goal was to encourage more women to pursue careers in science and engineering. She also helped lead workshops for medical school leaders.

Leadership Roles

Dr. Meade-Tollin spent a year as a faculty development fellow at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. In 1993, she made history by becoming the first female national chairperson of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). This organization helps Black chemists and chemical engineers in their careers.

She retired from the University of Arizona in 2008 as a Research Assistant Professor Emerita.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Linda Meade-Tollin received several awards for her important work:

• In 1987 and 1988, she received the Minority Investigator award from the National Cancer Institute.
• In 1994, she received the Minority Investigator award from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
• In 1998, NOBCChE honored her for her contributions to biochemistry and medical research.
• She also served on the board of an international science journal called Acta Histochemica.

Personal Life

While working at Rockefeller University, Dr. Meade-Tollin met Gordon Tollin. They later married but are now divorced. During her time at the University of Arizona, she also cared for her parents as they grew older. As of 2012, Dr. Meade-Tollin lived in Tucson.