Gertrude Erika Perlmann (April 20, 1912 – September 9, 1974) was an Austro-Hungarian Empire-born U.S. biochemist and structural biologist. She is known for her work in protein chemistry, particularly her discoveries on the biology of

phosphoproteins A phosphoprotein is a protein that is posttranslationally modified by the attachment of either a single phosphate group, or a complex molecule such as 5'-phospho-DNA, through a phosphate group. The target amino acid is most often serine, threonin ...

and the structure and action of

pepsin Pepsin is an endopeptidase that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids. It is one of the main digestive enzymes in the digestive systems of humans and many other animals, where it helps digest the proteins in food. Pe ...

and

pepsinogen Pepsin is an endopeptidase that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids. It is one of the main digestive enzymes in the digestive systems of humans and many other animals, where it helps digest the proteins in food. Pe ...

Early life

Perlmann was born on April 20, 1912, in

Liberec Liberec (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 108,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse River, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preserved and is pr ...

(Reichenberg), Austro-Hungarian Empire to a Jewish family.

Education

She earned a doctorate in chemistry and physics at the

German University of Prague Charles University (CUNI; , UK; ; ), or historically as the University of Prague (), is the largest university in the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest universities in the world in continuous operation, the oldest university north of the ...

in 1936. She fled Nazi

occupation of Czechoslovakia Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

for Denmark in 1936. She continued her postdoctoral training in Copenhagen at the Biological Institute of the

Carlsberg Laboratory The Carlsberg Research Laboratory is a private scientific research center in Copenhagen, Denmark under the Carlsberg Foundation. It was founded in 1875 by J. C. Jacobsen, the founder of the Carlsberg brewery, with the purpose of advancing bioche ...

with Dr. Fritz Lipmann and Prof. K. Linderstrom-Lang until 1939.

Career

At the beginning of World War II, she emigrated to the United States. She continued her research at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

from 1939 to 1946 and then at

Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is a teaching hospital located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the original and largest clinical education and research facility of Harvard Medical School/Harvar ...

in Boston, Massachusetts. She moved to the Rockefeller Institute in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

as a Commonwealth Fund Fellow in 1946. She was a member of the faculty for 28 years, rising to the rank of Professor. During her time at the Rockefeller Institute, she collaborated with the notable microbiologist Rebecca Lancefield.

Awards

In the 1960s she was awarded the Silver Medal of the Chemical Society and the Legion of Honor by the French. She was one of the first female corresponding members of the

Académie des Sciences The French Academy of Sciences (, ) is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French Scientific method, scientific research. It was at the forefron ...

. She won the

Garvan–Olin Medal The Francis P. Garvan–John M. Olin Medal, previously called the Francis P. Garvan Medal, is an annual award that recognizes distinguished scientific accomplishment, leadership and service to chemistry by :Women chemists, women chemists. The Awar ...

in 1965 from the American Chemical Society for "distinguished service to chemistry," for her research on the structure of pepsin, an enzyme that hastens food digestion. She was also awarded the French Order of Merit in 1974.

Scientific societies

Perlmann was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Society of Biological Chemists, the Biophysical Society, the British Biochemical Society and the Harvey Society.

Personal life

Perlmann is a member of a prominent scientific family. She was the sister of biochemist Peter Perlmann, who together with

Eva Engvall Eva Engvall (born 1940) is one of the scientists who invented ELISA in 1971. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Life Eva Engvall earned her PhD from the Stockholm University in 1975. Her postdoc ...

invented the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at Stockholm University in 1971. Her nephew Thomas Perlmann is a professor at the Karolinska Institutet known for his work on the specification and maintenance of dopamine neurons in the brain, and who is also the Secretary General of the

Nobel Committee A Nobel Committee is a working body responsible for most of the work involved in selecting Nobel Prize laureates. There are six awarding committees from four institutions, one for each Nobel Prize. Five of these committees are working bodies ...

for Physiology or Medicine.

Death

She died of cancer at New York Hospital on September 9, 1974.

Selected publications

* * * * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perlmann 1912 births American women biochemists Scientists from Liberec Sudeten German people Czechoslovak emigrants to the United States 1974 deaths 20th-century American women 20th-century American biochemists