Marie Maynard Daly was a biochemist who made important contributions to the scientific community such as understanding the chemistry of histones, protein synthesis, and the relationship between cholesterol and hypertension. Histones are proteins that bundle our DNA and are very important for gene expression. Daly isolated histones from different animals to determine their properties and composition. She also determined the distribution of different nitrogenous bases within nucleic acids. She also provided direct evidence that signified RNA was involved in protein synthesis. Another area of research involved understanding the causes of atherosclerosis (buildup of fats, cholesterol, fatty material in arteries). She examined the cholesterol levels and blood pressure in multiple rat studies to see how damaged or clogged their arteries were. She found a strong correlation between high blood pressure and high cholesterol – a groundbreaking discovery that encouraged future research into the causes of atherosclerosis.
Outside of scientific research she made remarkable impact. After graduating college with a degree in chemistry, she obtained her Master's degree at New York University. Then, she made history as the first black woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in Chemistry (in just three years). Daly organized training programs to prepare minority undergraduates for medical school and graduate science programs. Additionally, to honor her father who could not finish college, she started a scholarship fund to assist minority students majoring in physical sciences. Marie serves as an inspiration to all within the scientific community.
-Vanessa
