Mollie Holman (18 June 1930 – 20 August 2010) was an Australian

physiologist Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out chemical and ...

whose work focused on muscles and the central nervous system. She was the first woman appointed to the executive board of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Executive in 1975.

Personal life

Mollie Holman was born on 18 June 1930 in Launceston, Tasmania, to William, a physician and

radiologist 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 ...

and Mollie (née Bain). She had three sisters. Her father, supportive of each daughter's intellectual development, supported Mollie's interest in physics.

Education

Holman attended

Launceston Church Grammar School Launceston Church Grammar School (informally Launceston Grammar or simply Grammar, commonly abbreviated to LCGS) is an Anglican co-educational private school in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia for Early Learning through to Grade 12. Although f ...

. She completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

in 1952 and a Master of Science (MSc) in 1955. She then moved to England where she undertook studies at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, completing a doctorate in

pharmacology Pharmacology is the science of drugs and medications, including a substance's origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic use, and toxicology. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur betwee ...

in 1957. She received a Doctor of Science (DSc) from

Monash University Monash University () is a public university, public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Named after World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the ...

in the 1960s.

Working life

From 1953 to 1954 Holman was a Demonstrator in pharmacology at the University of Melbourne. Between 1955 and 1957 she went to University of Oxford as a research student on a University of Melbourne travelling scholarship. In the final year at Oxford she was awarded a

Wellcome Wellcome ( zh, first=j, c=惠康, j=wai6 hong1, p=Huìkāng) is a supermarket chain owned by British conglomerate Jardine Matheson Holdings via its DFI Retail Group subsidiary. The Wellcome supermarket chain is one of the two largest super ...

research grant. After returning to Australia in 1958 she joined the University of Melbourne, as a lecturer in physiology from 1958 to 1962. She moved to Monash University in 1963 as a senior lecturer in physiology. Between 1965 and 1970 she was a reader in physiology. From 1970 to 1996 she was professor. She retired in 1995 and was made Emeritus Professor the following year. Between 1975 and 1978 she was an Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) executive member.

Research

Holman's research focused on the complex network of nerve cells that regulate autonomic movements (such as digestion and blood pressure), and how these interact with smooth muscle in the body. In a successful collaboration with Geoff Burnstock, Holman showed how nerves initiated smooth muscle contractions. She often worked late at night to avoid the unwanted vibrations from the rumblings of passing daytime traffic that interfered with her fine electrodes. Holman completed her DPhil degree in 1957 and returned to Australia the following year. Around the same time Burnstock was appointed to the department of zoology, allowing the collaboration to continue. Their work on smooth muscle and its nerve supply was pioneering. A series of papers was published, beginning with a note to

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 ...

in 1960. This brought Holman to the attention of the scientific community.

Awards and honours

*1965 –

Edgeworth David Medal The Edgeworth David Medal is awarded annually by the Royal Society of New South Wales The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Societ ...

received from the

Royal Society of New South Wales The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. It is the oldest learned society in the Southern Hemisphere. The Society traces its ...

*1970 –

Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science The Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Science is made up of about 500 Australian scientists. Scientists judged by their peers to have made an exceptional contribution to knowledge in their field may be elected to Fellowship of the Academy ...

(FAA) *1985 - ANZAAS Medal for research into properties of smooth muscles in mammals. She was awarded the medal by Sir Edmund Hilary *1998 –

Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AO) "for service to scientific research, particularly relating to the autonomic nervous system and the control of smooth muscle, and to education and university administration".Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
8 June 1998, It's an Honour *2001 –

Centenary Medal The Centenary Medal is an award which was created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the centenary of the Federation of Australia and to recognise "people who made a contribution to Australian society or g ...

"for service to Australian society and science".

The Mollie Holman Medal

offered for the first time in 1998, up to 10 medals for award to doctoral candidates, normally one from each faculty, who have fulfilled their degree requirements and presented their faculty's best thesis of the year.

Notable recipients

* Lisa Alexander, Faculty of Science *

Rachelle Buchbinder Rachelle Buchbinder (born 1958) is an Australian rheumatologist and clinical epidemiologist. Her clinical practice is in conjunction with research involving multidisciplinary projects relating to arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. She p ...

, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science *

David Chesworth David Chesworth (born 1958, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom) is an Australian-based interdisciplinary artist, composer and sound designer. Known for his conceptual, and at times, minimalism, minimalist music, he has worked solo, in post-punk group ...

, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture * Greer Honeywill, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture * Helen Johnson (artist), Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture *

Sarah Krasnostein Sarah Krasnostein is an American-Australian non-fiction writer. Education Born in the United States, Krasnostein completed a BA/LLB (honours) degree from the University of Melbourne in 2005. She was admitted as an attorney of the State of Ne ...

, Faculty of Law *

Adrian Martin Adrian Martin (born 1959) is an Australian film and arts critic. He now lives in Malgrat de Mar in Spain. He is Adjunct Associate Professor in Film Culture and Theory at Monash University. His work has appeared in many magazines, journals and ...

, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture * Jared Purton, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences *

Debra Wilson Debra Wilson is an American actress and comedian. She is the longest-serving original cast member on the sketch comedy series ''Mad TV'', having appeared on the show's first eight seasons from 1995 to 2003. As a voice actress, she has voiced va ...

, New Zealand law professor *

David Wood (mathematician) David Ronald Wood (born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1971) is a Professor in the School of Mathematics at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His research area is discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science, especially structu ...

, Faculty of Information Technology