Elizabeth Bugie
Elizabeth Bugie | |
|---|---|
 Elizabeth Bugie in the lab | |
| Born | October 5, 1920 |
| Died | April 10, 2001 (aged 80) |
| Alma mater | Rutgers University New Jersey College for Women |
| Known for | Streptomycin |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | Production of antibiotic substances by Aspergillus flavus and Chaetomium cochliodes (1944) |
| Doctoral advisor | Selman Waksman |
Elizabeth Bugie Gregory (October 5, 1920 – April 10, 2001) was an American biochemist who co-discovered Streptomycin, the first antibiotic against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Selman Waksman laboratory at Rutgers University.[1] Waksman went on to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1952 and took the credit for the discovery.
Early life and education
[edit]Elizabeth Bugie was born to Charles Bugie and Madeline Turbett. Bugie's father never studied beyond high school, and was committed to her education.[1] He encouraged her to explore her curiosity, prompting her to be analytical and strong-willed.[2]
Bugie studied microbiology at the New Jersey College for Women.[1] She was a master's student at Rutgers University, working with Selman Waksman.[1] Her master's thesis, Production of antibiotic substances by aspergillus flavus and chaetomium cochliodes, looked to optimise the production of flavicin and chaetomin.[3]
Career
[edit]Bugie worked on antimicrobials which could protect plants from Dutch elm disease.[4] In 1944 Bugie, Waksman and Albert Schatz identified streptomycin in cultures of soil organisms, an antibiotic which was found to be active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.[5][6] Bugie was told that it was not important for her name to be on the patent as she would "one day get married and have a family".[1][7] Waksman went on to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1952 and took all the credit for the discovery of streptomycin.[1] Waksman claimed that Bugie was more involved in the discovery than Schatz.[8] Waksman also wrote articles about his discovery, rarely mentioning help he had received.[1][9] Bugie was eventually awarded 0.2% of the royalties for streptomycin.[10] After the discovery of streptomycin, Bugie worked on micromonosporin, a pigmented glycoprotein which was active against gram-positive bacteria.[11] Bugie worked for Merck & Co., evaluating pyrazinoic acid and penicillin as antibiotics against mycobacterium tuberculosis.[12] Bugie developed several antimicrobial substances.[13][14]
Personal life and death
[edit]After graduating, Bugie married Francis Joseph Gregory, who also worked as a microbiologist in the Waksman lab.[1] Bugie eventually returned to academia to get a degree in library science after raising her family.[1] Bugie's daughter, Eileen Gregory, is a microbiologist at Rollins College.[1] and has stated that her mother "did research not for notoriety but for love of science".[2] Bugie died on April 10, 2001.[15]
Discovery of streptomycin
[edit]In the discovery of Streptomycin three people played a large role, namely Waksman, Shatz, and Bugie, later known as Elizabeth Gregory. They worked closely together to ultimately, as a group, discover streptomycin. Waksman historically received the most recognition.
When looking at the contributions made to the study and discovery of streptomycin, Bugie contributed as much, if not more than Shatz.[16] However there was an uneven distribution in compensation that each contributor received. Schatz sued Waksman in order to get royalties,[1] but when each got their share, Waksman received 10%, Schatz 3%, and all of the other members of the lab shared the last 7%, in which Bugie received 0.2%.[2] When the patent was created, neither Waksman nor Shatz included Bugie, claiming that it would not matter because someday she would be married and have kids.[17] When the patent was originally signed, Bugie signed an affidavit.[18] In this affidavit, Bugie stated that she was informed about streptomycin by Waksman and Shatz and had no part in the discovery of streptomycin.[18] Bugie was, however, later quoted by her daughters as having said that if the women's liberation movement had been present, she would have received credit towards the patent on streptomycin.[1] Shatz explained "the fact that Waksman asked her to do the work was a testimonial to her talents and competence,"[2]showing how much of an impact she actually made, and how little she was compensated for it.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Angelova, Lidiya. "Elizabeth Bugie – the invisible woman in the discovery of streptomycin". Scientista | Women in STEM. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ a b c d "Obiturary: Elizabeth Gregory / Did McCandless woman get fair shake for role in discovery of streptomycin?". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- ^ Production of antibiotic substances by aspergillus flavus and chaetomium cochliodes.
- ^ Waksman, Selman A.; Bugie, Elizabeth (1943-10-01). "Action of Antibiotic Substances Upon Ceratostotnella ulmi". Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 54 (1): 79–82. doi:10.3181/00379727-54-14310. ISSN 0037-9727. S2CID 87534513.
- ^ "History of medicine - Medicine in the 20th century". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ Schatz, Albert; Bugle, Elizabeth; Waksman, Selman A. (1944-01-01). "Streptomycin, a Substance Exhibiting Antibiotic Activity Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria". Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 55 (1): 66–69. doi:10.3181/00379727-55-14461. ISSN 0037-9727. S2CID 33680180.
- ^ "Elizabeth (Bugie) Gregory - published landmark article in 1944 - Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ "Selman Waksman and Antibiotics - Landmark - American Chemical Society". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ "Streptomycin — arrogance and anger". Pharmaceutical Journal. Archived from the original on 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ "Their Dispute Over Discovery of Streptomycin Is Settled". www.albertschatzphd.com. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- ^ Waksman, Selman A.; Geiger, Walton B.; Bugie, Elizabeth (1 March 1947). "Micromonosporin, an Antibiotic Substance from a Little-known Group of Microorganisms". Journal of Bacteriology. 53 (3): 355–357. doi:10.1128/JB.53.3.355-357.1947. ISSN 0021-9193. PMC 518315. PMID 16561279. Wikidata Q40037245.
- ^ Eveleigh, Douglas E.; Bennett, Joan W. (2018-05-01). Women Microbiologists at Rutgers in the Early Golden Age of Antibiotics. doi:10.1128/9781555819545. ISBN 9781555819538.
- ^ Waksman, Selman A.; Bugie, Elizabeth (September 1943). "Strain Specificity and Production of Antibiotic Substances". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 29 (9): 282–288. doi:10.1073/pnas.29.9.282. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1078613. PMID 16578091.
- ^ Waksman, S. A.; Bugie, E. (November 1944). "Chaetomin, a New Antibiotic Substance Produced by Chaetomium cochliodes: I. Formation and Properties". Journal of Bacteriology. 48 (5): 527–530. doi:10.1128/jb.48.5.527-530.1944. ISSN 0021-9193. PMC 374002. PMID 16560863.
- ^ Snowbeck, Christopher (April 14, 2001). "Obiturary: Elizabeth Gregory / Did McCandless woman get fair shake for role in discovery of streptomycin?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "Selman Waksman and Antibiotics - Landmark". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- ^ "The Forgotten Women of the Antibiotics Race". Lady Science. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- ^ a b Wainwright, Milton (1991). "Streptomycin: Discovery and Resultant Controversy". History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences. 13 (1): 97–124. ISSN 0391-9714. JSTOR 23330620. PMID 1882032.