Pioneering women in medicine: where curiosity overcomes boundaries

From the first one-handed syringe to stem cell research - women have done pioneering work in medical technology, often in the shadows of history. Last year, the "Connecting Women Leaders in Healthcare" event took place for the first time at MEDICA, demonstrating the ongoing commitment and continued relevance of women in medical technology. This article highlights six pioneering women who laid the foundations for today's medical technology and women in the field.

As a nurse, Letitia Mumford Geer recognized the need for a more user-friendly instrument and applied for a patent in 1896, which was granted in 1899. Geer's one-handed syringe considerably simplified the administration of medication and still forms the basis of modern syringes today.

Marie Curie advanced medical care during the First World War by developing mobile X-ray units, known as "Petites Curies". These vehicles, equipped with X-ray machines and a darkroom, made it possible to examine wounded soldiers directly at the front. Their work considerably accelerated the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and established radiology as an indispensable tool in medical diagnostics.

Nina Starr Braunwald developed and successfully implanted the first artificial mitral valve. This pioneering achievement marked a turning point in the treatment of valvular heart disease and paved the way for modern heart valve surgery. As one of the first women in cardiac surgery, she broke through barriers in a male-dominated field.

With the development of the laser phaco probe system, Dr. Patricia Bath made a lasting improvement to ophthalmology. This pioneering work, for which she was the first African-American female doctor to receive a medical patent in 1988, enables the precise, virtually painless and minimally invasive removal of cataracts. The Laserphaco procedure combines an optical laser with an irrigation and suction system. This method significantly improves the accuracy and results of cataract surgery compared to previous manual procedures.

Flossie Wong-Staal is considered one of the pioneering scientists in virology and made a decisive contribution to HIV research. In 1985, she was the first researcher to clone the HI virus and map its genome, thereby changing our understanding of the virus structure and function. Her work formed the basis for the development of the first HIV tests.

In 1991, Dr. Ann Tsukamoto received a patent for a method that enabled the isolation of human hematopoietic stem cells (hHSC) from contaminated blood of cancer patients. This proved to be groundbreaking for the understanding and treatment of blood cancer. Tsukamoto's work has not only broadened the understanding of stem cells but has also created concrete application possibilities in cancer therapy and regenerative medicine.