Miriam Dorothy (Posner) Finkel (22 January 1916 – 20 August 1999) was a radiobiologist who made significant contributions to

molecular biology Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...

. Finkel lent her name to the Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins or FBJ virus.

Biography

Miriam Dorothy (Miriam Dvorah) Posner was born into a Jewish family on 22 January 1916 in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Her parents, Gustave Moritz Posner and Myrtle Lautman, were born in Chicago to German Jewish immigrants. In 1943 she married Asher Joseph Finkel. Finkel grew up in

Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...

. She attended the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

and in 1938 earned a B.S. in

zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

. She worked as a laboratory instructor at Wilson Junior College in Chicago while she pursued doctoral studies and coursework in zoology. In 1944, she was awarded a Ph.D. from the

. She signed the

Szilárd petition The Szilárd petition, drafted and circulated in July 1945 by scientist Leo Szilard, was signed by 70 scientists working on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the Metallurgical Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois. It asked Presiden ...

of 1945. Finkel worked at the

Metallurgical Laboratory The Metallurgical Laboratory (or Met Lab) was a scientific laboratory from 1942 to 1946 at the University of Chicago. It was established in February 1942 and became the Argonne National Laboratory in July 1946. The laboratory was established i ...

and the

Clinton Engineer Works The Clinton Engineer Works (CEW) was the production installation of the Manhattan Project that during World War II produced the enriched uranium used in the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, as well as the first examples of reactor-produced pluton ...

as a radiobiologist. For the majority of her career, she worked at

Argonne National Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory is a Federally funded research and development centers, federally funded research and development center in Lemont, Illinois, Lemont, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1946, the laboratory is owned by the United Sta ...

. She was a member of the American Biological Society. Finkel made significant contributions to several radiological health standards including work on the basis of

relative biological effectiveness In radiobiology, the relative biological effectiveness (often abbreviated as RBE) is the ratio of biological effectiveness of one type of ionizing radiation relative to another, given the same amount of absorbed energy. The RBE is an empirical ...

for internal exposure to

radioisotopes A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess numbers of either neutrons or protons, giving it excess nuclear energy, and making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ...

. Through her work and that of her colleagues, she was able to isolate the murine osteogenic sarcoma virus, now known as the Finkel-Biskis-Jenkins or FBJ virus. This and other pursuits resulted in discoveries in viral-induced tumors and resulted in the molecular biological tool, the FOS gene. Finkel died on 20 August 1999 at home in

Tucson, Arizona Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...

Works

Dissertation

*The relation of sex hormones to pigmentation and to testis descent in the opossum and ground squirrel, 1945.

Patents

*Experimental animal maintenance, 1963. *Experimental animal watering device, 1964.Finkel, M. P. (7 April 1964). Experimental animal watering device. U.S. Patent No. 3,127,872. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

1940s

*Lisco, Hermann, Finkel, M. P., & Brues, Austin Moore. (1947). Carcinogenic Properties of

Radioactive Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is conside ...

Fission Products Nuclear fission products are the atomic fragments left after a large atomic nucleus undergoes nuclear fission. Typically, a large nucleus like that of uranium fissions by splitting into two smaller nuclei, along with a few neutrons, the releas ...

and of

Plutonium Plutonium is a chemical element; it has symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is a silvery-gray actinide metal that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four ...

Radiology Radiology ( ) is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...

. 49(3): 361–363. *Finkel, M. P. (1947). The transmission of radio-strontium and plutonium from mother to offspring in laboratory animals. Physiological zoology. 20(4): 405–421. *Finkel, M. P., Kisieleski, Walter E., Hirsch, Gertrude M., & Mulhaney, Thomas J. (1949). POLONIUM AND CF-1 FEMALE MICE: THE 30-DAY LD50 RETENTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONCENTRATION. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL DIVISIONS QUARTERLY REPORT MAY, JUNE, JULY, 1949, 84. *Schubert, Jack, Finkel, M. P., White, Marcia R., & Hirsch, Gertrude M. (1949). Plutonium and Yttrium content of the blood, liver, and skeleton of the rat at different times after intravenous administration. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL DIVISIONS QUARTERLY REPORT MAY, JUNE, JULY, 1949, 135.

1950–1954

*Brues, Austin M., Hasterlik, R. J., Finkel, M. P., Norris, W. P., Kisieleski, W. E., & Schubert, J. (1950). Special Problems Dr. Donald L. Buchanan. Allen, JG: Tests of Liver Function. Kansas City Academy, Kansas City. 57. *Finkel, M. P., & Hirsch, G. M. (1950). URANIUM TOXICITY IN MICE I. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND RESULTS AT 30 DAYS (No. AECD-3045; ANL-4531). Argonne National Lab. *Finkel, M. P. (1951).

Toxicology Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating ex ...

uranium Uranium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Ura ...

Journal of Chemical Education The ''Journal of Chemical Education'' is a monthly peer-reviewed academic journal available in both print and electronic versions. It is published by the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society The American Chemical S ...

. (28): 400. *Finkel, M. P. (1952). Biological Effects of External Beta Radiation (Zirkle, Raymond E.). Journal of Chemical Education. (29): 476. *Finkel, M. P. (1953). Relative biological effectiveness of radium and other alpha emitters in CF No. 1 female mice. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 83(3): 494–498. *Finkel, M. P., Brues, Austin M., & Lisco, Hermann. (1954). THE TOXICITY OF Sr89 IN MICE. ANL-4840 (Quarterly Report, May, June, July, 1952). 25.

1955–1957

*Finkel, M. P. (1955). Internal emitters and tumor induction. In International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, A/CONF. (8): 160–164. *Finkel, M. P., & Scribner, Gertrude M. (1955). Mouse cages and spontaneous tumors. British journal of cancer. 9(3): 464. *Finkel, M. P. (1956).

Relative Biological Effectiveness In radiobiology, the relative biological effectiveness (often abbreviated as RBE) is the ratio of biological effectiveness of one type of ionizing radiation relative to another, given the same amount of absorbed energy. The RBE is an empirical ...

of Internal Emitters 1.Radiology. 67(5): 665–672. *Finkel, M. P., Lisco, Hermann, Lathrop, Katherine A., & Brues, Austin M. (1956). TOXICITY OF LOCALLY DEPOSITED YTTRIUM91 IN MICE. I. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND GROSS PATHOLOGY. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH DIVISION QUARTERLY REPORT. 39. *Finkel, M. P., & Scribner, G. M. (1956). TOXICITY OF Sr90 and of Ca45in Mice. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH DIVISION QUARTERLY REPORT. 16. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, Birute O., & Scribner, G. M. (1957). Toxicity of Sr90 AND OF Ca4* IN MICE. Biological and Medical Research Semiannual Report. 51. *Finkel, M. P., Flynn, R., Clark, J., Scribner, G., Lestina, Juanita, Lisco, H., & Brues, A. (1957). Toxicity of radiostrontium in carnivores: Current status of the long-term cat and dog experiments. Quarterly Report of Biological and Medical Research Division, Argonne National Laboratory. ANL-5696: 16–20. *Finkel, M. P., Tellekson, Betty J., Lestina, Juanita, & Biskis, Birute O. (1957). The influence of dosage pattern upon the toxicity of Sr90 in mice. I. Preliminary experiment. (21): 21–31. *Finkel, M. P., Flynn, Robert J., Lestina, Juanita, & Czajka, Dorice M. (1957). Radiostrontium at" Optimum Carcinogenic Level" in the Dog: Effect upon Morbidity of Total Blood Exchange Shortly After Injection. Biological and Medical Research Division Semiannual Report. 15.

1958–1959

*Finkel, M. P. (1958). Mice, Men, and Fallout: The potential danger of strontium-90 is appraised on the basis of data from animal experiments. Science. 128(3325): 637–641. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Scribner, G. M. (1958). The influence of strontium-90 upon life span and neoplasms of mice (No. A/CONF. 15/P/911). Argonne National Lab., Lemont, Illinois. *Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1958). Comparative carcinogenicity of Ra 226, Sr 90 and Ca 45 in mice. USAEC Unclassified Report ANL-5916: 18. *FINKEL, M. P. (1958). Radiation Hazards. Science. 128(3338): 1580–1585. *Finkel, M. P. (1958). TOXICITY OF Sr90 AND OF Ca45 in Mice. III. Effect of Sr90 Upon Life Span and Neoplasms of Bone and the Blood-forming Tissues. Miriam P. Finkel, Birute O. Biskis, and Gertrude M. Scribner. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH DIVISION SEMIANNUAL REPORT. 51. *Finkel, Miriam P. (1959). "Induction of tumors with internally administered isotopes. Radiation Biol. and Cancer." (1959): 322. *Marshall, John H., & Finkel, M. P. (1959). Autoradiographic dosimetry of mouse bones containing Ca45, Sr90, and Ra226. Radiological Physics Division Semiannual Report, Argonne National Laboratory. ANL-6104: 48–65. *Finkel, M. P. (1959). Late effects of internally deposited radioisotopes in laboratory animals. Radiation Research Supplement. 265–279. *Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1959). The induction of malignant bone tumors in mice by radioisotopes. Acta-Unio Internationalis Contra Cancrum. 15. *Finkel, M. P., Bergstrand, Patricia J., & Biskis, B. O. (1959). CONSEQUENCES OF THE CONTINUOUS INGESTION OF Sr90 BY MICE. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH DIVISION SEMIANNUAL REPORT. (8): 5.

1960

*Finkel, M. P., Bergstrand, P. J., & Biskis, B. O. (1960). The Consequences of the Continuous Ingestion of Sr90 by Mice 1. Radiology. 74(3): 458–467. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Bergstrand, P. J. (1960). Radioisotope toxicity: Significance of chronic administration. Radioisotopes in the Biosphere (RS Caldecott and LA Snyder, eds.). 461–473. *Marshall, J. H., & Finkel, M. P. (1960). Autoradiographic dosimetry of mouse bones containing Ca-45, Sr-90, or Ra-226. II. The sensitive region in the induction of osteogenic sarcomas. ANL: 44–54. *Marshall, J. H., & Finkel, M. P. (1960). Autoradiographic Dosimetry of Mouse Bones Containing Ca45, Sr90, or Ra226. II. The Sensitive Region in the Induction of Osteogenic Sarcomas. Radiological Physics Division Semiannual Report. January Through June 1960. 44–54. *Auerbach, Harry S., Lesher, G. A., Sacher, Douglas, Grahn, R., Nebel, R. R., Robertson, No A. Frigerio et al. (1960). Illinois bone tumor death certificate study. Annual report-Division of Biological and Medical Research. Argonne National Laboratory. 7–8. *Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1960). Radium damage in mouse bone. Annual report-Division of Biological and Medical Research. Argonne National Laboratory. 44–51. *Finkel, M., Bergstrand, Patricia, & Biskis, Birute. (1960). Latency and growth of osteosarcomas induced by radiostrontium. Annual report-Division of Biological and Medical Research. Argonne National Laboratory. 35.

1961–1964

*Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., Flynn, Robert J., Greco, Isabel L., & Jinkins, P. B. (1961). The toxicity of radioisotopes in dogs: Status in quo. Biological and Medical Research Division Semiannual Report. 38. *Finkel, M. P., Bergstrand, P. J., & Biskis, B. O. (1961). The Latent Period, Incidence, and Growth of Sr90-Induced Osteosarcomas in CF1 and CBA Mice 1. Radiology. 77(2): 269–281. *Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1962). Toxicity of plutonium in mice.

Health Physics Health physics, also referred to as the science of radiation protection, is the profession devoted to protecting people and their environment from potential radiation hazards, while making it possible to enjoy the beneficial uses of radiation. H ...

. 8(6): 565–579. *Finkel, M. P., Bergstrand-Jinkins, Patricia, & Biskis, Birute O. (1962). Induction of osteosarcomas in mice by X-irradiation. BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH DIVISION SEMIANNUAL REPORT July through December 1961. 33. *Finkel, M. P., Jinkins, P. B., & Biskis, B. O. (1962). THE TOXICITY OF Ra226 IN MICE: A PROGRESS REPORT. Biological and Medical Research Semiannual Report. 26. *Finkel, M. P., Jinkins, P. B., & Biskis, B. O. (1964). Parameters of radiation dosage that influence production of osteogenic sarcomas in mice.

National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...

Monograph. (14): 243–270.

1965–1969

*Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Jinkins, P. B. (1966). Virus induction of osteosarcomas in mice. Science. 151(3711): 698–700. *Finkel, M. P., Jinkins, P. B., Tolle, Janet, & Biskis, B. O. (1966). Serial Radiography of Virus-Induced Osteosarcomas in Mice 1. Radiology 87(2): 333–339. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Farrell, C. (1967). Pathogenic effects of extracts of human osteosarcomas in hamsters and mice. Archives of pathology. 84(4): 425–428. *Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1968). EXPERIMENTAL INDUCTION OF OSTEOSARCOMAS. Argonne National Lab., Illinois. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Jinkins, P. B. (1969). Toxicity of radium-226 in mice. Radiation-Induced Cancer. 369–391. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Farrell, Corinne. (1969). Nonmalignant and Malignant Changes in Hamsters Inoculated with Extracts of Human Osteosarcomas 1. Radiology. 92(7): 1546–1552. *Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1969). Osteosarcomas induced in mice by FBJ virus and 90Strontium. Delayed effects of bone-seeking radionuclides (Ed. Mays, C.W., et al.). 417. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Jinkins, P. B. (1969). Radiation-induced cancer.

IAEA The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...

. Vienna. 369.

1970–1979

*Finkel, M. P., & Biskis, B. O. (1970). PATHOLOGIC CONSEQUENCES OF RADIOSTRONTIUM ADMINISTERED TO FETAL AND INFANT DOGS (No. CONF-690501--). Argonne National Lab., Illinois). *Pritchard, Douglas J., Reilly, Christopher A., & FINKEL, Miriam P. (1971). Evidence for a human osteosarcoma virus.

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

. 234(47): 126–127. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., & Reilly Jr, C. A. (1971). Interaction of FBJ osteosarcoma virus with 90Sr and with 90Sr osteosarcomas. Oncology. (1): 422. *Reilly, C. A., Pritchard, D. J., Biskis, B. O., & Finkel, M. P. (1972). Immunologic evidence suggesting a viral etiology of human osteosarcoma.

Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

. 30(3): 603–609. *Finkel, M. P., Biskis, B. O., Greco, Isabel, & Camden, R. W. (1972). Strontium-90 toxicity in dogs: Status of Argonne study on influence of age and dosage pattern. Biomedical Implications of Radiostrontium Exposure (M. Goldman and LK Bustad, Eds.). 285–312. *Finkel, M. P., Reilly Jr, C. A., Sanders, C. L., Busch, R. H., Ballou, J. E., & Mahlum, D. D. (1973). Observations suggesting the viral etiology of radiation-induced tumors, particularly osteogenic sarcomas (No. CONF-720505--). Argonne National Lab., IL; Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Washington. (USA). *Pritchard, D. J., Reilly, C. A., Finkel, M. P., & Ivins, John C. (1974). Cytotoxicity of human osteosarcoma sera to hamster sarcoma cells. Cancer. 34(6): 1935–1939. *Pritchard, D. J., Finkel, M. P., & Reilly Jr, C. A. (1975). The Etiology of Osteosarcoma: A Review of Current Considerations. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. (111): 14–22. *Lee, Chung K., Chan, Emerson W., Reilly, C. A., Pahnke, Vernon A., Rockus, Gabriele, & Finkel, M. P. (1979). In vitro properties of FBR murine osteosarcoma virus. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 162(1): 214–220.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finkel, Miriam Posner 1916 births 1999 deaths Scientists from Chicago American people of German-Jewish descent University of Chicago alumni Manhattan Project people Radiobiologists Women radiobiologists American molecular biologists 20th-century American zoologists American cancer researchers Health physicists Health Physics Society Jewish American scientists People from Davenport, Iowa American women biologists 20th-century American women scientists 20th-century American inventors Women on the Manhattan Project 20th-century American Jews