Eleanor Zaimis
Eleanor Christides Zaimis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Eleanor Christides 16 June 1915 |
| Died | 3 October 1982(aged 67) |
| Alma mater | University of Athens |
| Awards | Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh(1956) Gairdner Foundation International Award(1959) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Pharmacology |
Eleanor Christides Zaimis(16 June 1915 – 3 October 1982) was a Greek-British academic who was professor atRoyal Free Hospital School of Medicine,often referred to as "Nora".[1]She was the recipient of the 1959Gairdner Foundation International Awardfor study of methonium compounds and otherpharmacologycontributions.[2]
Zaimis was elected to the British Pharmacological Society Hall of Fame.[3]
Early life and education[edit]
Zaimis was born inGalați, Romania.[4]Her father, John Cristides worked in shipping and her mother, Helen Hanoutsos was the daughter of a landowner. She was educated at the Greek Gymnasium and graduated in medicine at theUniversity of Athensin 1938.[5]During the next nine years, she gained an MD and a BSc in Chemistry.[1]
Career[edit]
After graduating in medicine, she was an assistant to the professor of pharmacology at the University of Athens and she from 1945 she served on a committee for evaluating new antibiotics such as penicillin andstreptomycin.[6]In 1947, she went to England as aBritish Councilscholar where she initially worked in the department of pharmacology atBristol Universityand later at theNational Institute for Medical Research,she then moved to the department of pharmacology at the school of pharmacy,University of London.[6]
In 1950, she was elected as an associate to thePhysiological Societyand eventually, became a full member in 1951.[7]In 1954, she was appointed as a reader and head of the pharmacology department at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. In 1956, she was awarded theCameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh.[6]She was awarded a professorship by the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in 1958 and she remained head of the department until her retirement in 1980. During this time, she made significant contributions to the fields of neuromuscular and cardiovascular pharmacology.
In 1958, she received the Gairdner Foundation international award.[6]In 1962, she was awarded the Cross of Commander of the Greek Order of Benevolence and in 1968, she received the NP Kravkov pharmacology medal from theUSSR Academy of Medical Sciences.Between 1967 and 1971, she was on the committee of thePhysiological Society.She was made a honorary member of theRome Academy of Medicineand a corresponding member of theAcademy of Athens.[7]
Her outstanding worked (withWilliam Paton) was on methonium compounds and synthesized the remaining members of what is referred to asthe methonium series,including compounds such ashexamethoniumanddecamethonium.Both of these compounds are important in medicine, the first is used for hypertension and the second is used by anaesthetists to control muscles.[6]She was one of the first scientists to realize the importance of researching the chronic effect of minimal drug use, as well as the acute effect.[7]
Death and legacy[edit]
She died in 1982 and she was elected to the British Pharmacological Society Hall of Fame in 2015.[3]
Publications[edit]
- Textbook on Hygiene,1948
- Evaluation of new drugs in man,1963
- Nerve growth factor and its antiserum,1972
- Neuromuscular junction,1976
References[edit]
- ^abBritish Medical Journal obituary
- ^Gairdner Foundation International Award page for Eleanor Zaimis
- ^ab"Eleanor Zaimis | British Pharmacological Society".www.bps.ac.uk.Retrieved3 June2023.
- ^"Eleanor Zaimis".British Pharmacological Society.Retrieved28 March2019.
- ^Hudson, Briony; Boylan, Maureen (8 June 2013).The School of Pharmacy, University of London: Medicines, Science and Society, 1842-2012.Academic Press.ISBN9780124076907.
- ^abcdeMatthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B.; Goldman, L., eds. (23 September 2004),"Eleanor Zaimis",The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,Oxford: Oxford University Press,doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/57572,ISBN978-0-19-861411-1,retrieved3 June2023
- ^abc"Eleanor Zaimis | RCP Museum".history.rcplondon.ac.uk.Retrieved17 September2020.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
