Yalow was born in New York City in 1921. She attended Hunter College in New York. She graduated at the age of 20, then began graduate school, the only woman among 400 grad students. Yalow received her Ph.D. in nuclear physics in 1945 from the University of Illinois. In 1977, she received the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine. In between, her work included finding ways to use radioisotopes in medicine, and in particular, developing with other scientists a way to measure the amount of proteins like insulin in the body, using radioisotopes.

More about Rosalyn Yalow

Links to other Websites:

• Bio-sketch Wish-net


• Rosalyn Yalow: Assaying the unknown American Chemical society


• Contribution of 20th Century Women to Physics UCLA Physics Department


• Autobiography Nobel e-museum


• 1977 Nobel Prize Press Release