Mary Campbell "Mollie" Dawbarn (5 January 1902 – 24 May 1982) was an Australian

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

and nutritional physiologist. She is particularly well known for her research on

B complex vitamins B vitamins are a class of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism and synthesis of red blood cells. They are a chemically diverse class of compounds. Dietary supplements containing all eight are referred to as a vitam ...

. Producing an assay for vitamin b12 and perfecting the methods for estimating B1 vitamin in bread are among her most notable works.

Early life and education

The daughter of Gilbert Joseph Dawbarn and Mary Isabella Macdonald, she was born in

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) () is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australia and the third-largest city in Victoria. Within mo ...

and moved to South Australia in 1907. Dawbarn won a scholarship to the Methodist Ladies College in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

. She earned a BSc and a MSc from the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide is a public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. Its main campus in the Adelaide city centre includes many Sa ...

in 1923 and 1928 respectively. She achieved her

DSc DSC or Dsc may refer to: Education * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dyal Sin ...

from the same university in 1958.

Career

She began work in 1924 as a biochemistry demonstrator at the university. In 1927, she became a research chemist for the Animal Products Research Foundation, University of Adelaide. While on study leave from 1933 to 1934, she worked at the

Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, informally known as the Lister Institute, was established as a research institute (the British Institute of Preventive Medicine) in 1891, with bacteriologist Marc Armand Ruffer as its first director, ...

in London and the

University of Strasbourg The University of Strasbourg (, Unistra) is a public research university located in Strasbourg, France, with over 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers. Founded in the 16th century by Johannes Sturm, it was a center of intellectual life during ...

in France. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she conducted research for the Australian armed forces into nutritional requirements. In 1954, she was named principal research officer for the Division of Biochemistry and General Nutrition, at the

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency that is responsible for scientific research and its commercial and industrial applications. CSIRO works with leading organisations arou ...

. She retired in 1963.

Later life

During her retirement, she traveled for several years and later served as treasurer for the South Australian Ornithological Association. She was very interested in photography and was an expert photographer herself. She produced black-and-white enlargements by herself. She was also member of Adelaide Lyceum and Soroptimist club. Dawbarn died in Adelaide at the age of 80. After her death, her body was cremated.

Publications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawbarn, Mary Campbell 1902 births 1982 deaths Australian biochemists Australian women chemists University of Adelaide alumni 20th-century Australian women scientists Australian physiologists Women physiologists