Rosalind Pitt-Rivers facts for kids

Rosalind Venetia Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers (March 4, 1907 – January 14, 1990) was a British biochemist. She was a very important scientist who helped discover a key hormone.

In 1971, she became the second president of the European Thyroid Association. She, along with Jean Roche and Jack Gross, is famous for finding the thyroid hormone called triiodothyronine (T₃). This hormone is super important for how our bodies work.

Early Life and Learning

Rosalind Venetia Henley was born in London, England, on March 4, 1907. She was the oldest of four daughters. Her father was Captain Anthony Morton Henley, and her mother was Sylvia Laura Stanley.

Rosalind was first taught at home. When she was thirteen, she started attending Notting Hill & Ealing High School. Her love for chemistry began early. At age twelve, her uncle gave her a chemistry set, which sparked her interest.

She later studied at Bedford College, part of the University of London. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree with top honors in 1930. The next year, in 1931, she completed her Master of Science degree.

Personal Life

In 1931, Rosalind married George Pitt-Rivers. He was an anthropologist and a very wealthy man. George was the grandson of Augustus Pitt Rivers, who started the famous Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.

Rosalind became a stepmother to George's two sons, Michael and Julian. In 1932, she gave birth to her own son, Anthony. However, her marriage ended in 1937.

A Career in Science

After her marriage ended in 1937, Rosalind went back to school. She earned her PhD in Biochemistry from University College medical school in 1939.

In 1942, she joined the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in London. This was the biggest science institute of the UK Medical Research Council. She later became the head of the Chemistry Division there. She retired in 1972.

Rosalind Pitt-Rivers became famous around the world after working with Jack Gross. Together, they discovered the T₃ hormone. They published their important findings in a science journal called The Lancet in 1952.

Because of her amazing work, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1954. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. Later, she also became a fellow of Bedford College in 1973. In 1983, she was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. In 1986, she became an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

She also wrote several important books about hormones and the thyroid gland. These include The Thyroid Hormones (1959), The Chemistry of Thyroid Diseases (1960), and The Thyroid Gland (1964).

See also

In Spanish: Rosalind Pitt-Rivers para niños