Mary Pickford (physiologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lillian Mary Pickford
FRS FRSE
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Pickford in 1990
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| Born | 14 August 1902 Jabalpur, India
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| Died | 14 August 2002 (aged 100) |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Neuroendocrinology |
Lillian Mary Pickford (born August 14, 1902 – died August 14, 2002) was a groundbreaking British scientist. She was a neuroendocrinologist, which means she studied how the brain and hormones work together. Mary was the first woman to be chosen for the Pharmacological Society. She was also the first woman to become a medical professor at the University of Edinburgh.
Early Life and Education
Mary Pickford was born in Jubbulpore, India on August 14, 1902. Her father, Herbert Arthur Pickford, grew tea and indigo. Her mother was Lillian Alice Minnie Wintle.
When she was five, Mary moved to Surrey, England. She lived there with her aunt and uncle. A family friend, Sir Cooper Perry, told her to become a doctor. But he also told her not to be a researcher. He said, 'Don't think of it. Women are no use at that kind of thing'.
Mary went to Wycombe Abbey school. In 1925, she finished her studies at Bedford College in London. She studied physiology, zoology, and chemistry.
Starting Her Career
After college, it was hard for women scientists to find jobs. Mary found part-time teaching work first. Later, she became a research assistant at University College London.
Thanks to some money from her godmother, she could study medicine part-time. She studied at University College Hospital. In 1933, she earned her medical qualifications. In 1935, she worked as a doctor at Stafford General Hospital.
Important Discoveries
In 1936, Mary received a special research grant. In 1939, she made an important discovery. She found that injecting acetylcholine into the brain had an antidiuretic effect. This means it helped the body hold onto water.
In 1939, she started teaching physiology at the University of Edinburgh. She stayed there until she retired in 1972. She earned her DSc degree in 1951. She became a Reader in 1952. In 1966, she became a Professor of Physiology.
Awards and Recognition
Mary Pickford received many awards for her work.
- In 1954, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE).
- In 1966, she became a Professor of Physiology at the University of Edinburgh.
- Also in 1966, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists.
Mary wrote over 60 scientific papers and 13 book chapters. She also wrote a popular book called The Central Role of Hormones in 1969.
In 1991, Heriot-Watt University gave her an honorary doctorate degree.
Professor Pickford passed away on her 100th birthday in 2002. In 2021, a special blue plaque was put up in her honor. It is at the University of Edinburgh Old Medicine Quad. This plaque recognizes scientists who made important discoveries. Mary Pickford was the first woman to receive this honor there.
