Florence Sabin biography

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Physician, anatomist, medical researcher, writer. Born on November 9, 1871, in Central City, Colorado. Florence Sabin was a pioneering medical researcher, best known for her work on blood cells and the lymphatic system. She also broke new ground for women in the sciences. Sabin was the first woman to graduate from Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1900 and the first woman to become a full professor at this institution in 1917.

While at Johns Hopkins, Florence Sabin studied anatomy with Dr. Franklin Paine Mall, who became a mentor to her. She conducted research on the structure of the brain, resulting in the book Atlas of the Medulla and Midbrain (1901). In 1902, she joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins University and continued her research. She worked with animal embryos to learn more about the lymphatic system and the development of blood vessels and blood cells.

Florence Sabin's work also shed light on the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. In addition to her research, she was known as an outstanding professor of anatomy. Sabin greatly cared for her students and even hosted events for them at her home. She also served as the first female president of the American Association of Anatomists in 1924. The following year, she was selected to become the first female permanent member of the National Academy of Sciences.

In 1925, Florence Sabin left John Hopkins to work at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. Continuing her work on tuberculosis, she studied the immune system and how white blood cells responded to infections. Sabin retired from the institute in 1938 and returned to her home state of Colorado. While living in Denver, she became involved in public health issues.

Known as the "First Lady of American Science," Florence Sabin died on October 3, 1953, in Denver, Colorado. She is considered one of the top medical researchers of her times.

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