Marjorie G. Horning facts for kids

Marjorie Janice Groothuis Horning (August 23, 1917 – June 11, 2020) was an American scientist. She was a biochemist and pharmacologist. She was known for her important work with chromatography. This is a method used to separate mixtures. She helped create new ways to study how the body uses and changes medicines.

Marjorie Horning showed that medicines and their parts can move from a pregnant mother to her baby. They can also pass from a mother to a baby through breast milk. Her discoveries helped prevent birth defects in babies.

Early Life and Education

Marjorie Janice Groothuis was born in August 1917. Her hometown was Detroit, Michigan. She went to Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her first degree there in 1938.

She then studied at the University of Michigan. She received her Master of Science degree in 1940. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1943. After her studies, she worked at the University of Michigan Hospital. She was a research assistant in the children's department until 1945.

A Career in Science

In 1945, Marjorie Horning moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She worked at the University of Pennsylvania until 1951.

In 1951, she joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is a big research center in Bethesda, Maryland. She worked there as a research chemist until 1961.

In 1961, she moved to Houston, Texas. She started working at Baylor College of Medicine. She became a full professor of biochemistry there in 1969.

Marjorie Horning also taught at the University of Houston. She was an adjunct professor there starting in 1981. She also served on the boards of several science journals. These included Drug Metabolism and Disposition and Analytical Chemistry.

In 1984, she made history. She became the first woman president of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). This is a major group for scientists who study medicines.

Important Research Work

Marjorie Horning wrote over 200 science papers. These papers were about biochemistry, pharmacology, and analytical chemistry.

She and her husband, Evan Horning, were leaders in their field. They used methods like gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. These tools helped them study how drugs change in the body. They could track how medicines break down and move around.

She was also a member of the Society of Toxicology. This group studies how chemicals can harm living things. She worked with the National Toxicology Program. This program helps find harmful chemicals. At that time, many chemicals were used in food, medicines, and homes.

Awards and Special Honors

Marjorie Horning received many awards for her work:

• Frank H. Field and Joe L. Franklin Award in Mass Spectrometry, 1990. She shared this with Evan C. Horning.
• Tswett Chromatography Medal, 1987.
• National Honorary Member of Iota Sigma Pi, 1985. This is a honor society for women in chemistry.
• Alumnae Athena award from the University of Michigan, 1980.
• Garvan-Olin Medal, 1977. This is a top award for women in chemistry.
• Honorary doctorate from Goucher College, 1977.
• Warner Lambert award, 1976.

Personal Life

Marjorie met her husband, Evan C. Horning, at the University of Michigan. He was also a chemist. They married in 1942.

After she retired in 1987, Marjorie Horning spent more time on her love for art. She became a Trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 1988. She later became a Life Trustee in 2000.

The Hornings traveled a lot for science meetings. They collected art during their trips. They gave over 300 prints and drawings to the Museum. They also collected Asian art, especially Japanese woodblock prints. They lived in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland for a year each. They collected art from these countries too. The Hornings also set up funds to support these art collections.