Edith Graef McGeer
{{Short description|American neuroscientist (1923–2023)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox scientist
| birth_name = Edith Graef
| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|11|18}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|08|28|1923|11|18}}
| death_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| fields = Neuroscience
| workplaces = {{Ubl
| DuPont
| {{nowrap|University of British Columbia}}
}}
| education = {{Ubl
}}
| known_for = Alzheimer's disease research
| awards = {{Ubl | Order of British Columbia, | Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, | Order of Canada }}
| website =
| spouse = {{Marriage|Patrick McGeer||2022|end=d}}{{Cite news |first1=John |last1=Mackie |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/social-credit-kingmaker-pat-mcgeer-dies-at-95 |title=B.C. Social Credit kingmaker Pat McGeer dies at 95 |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |date=August 30, 2022}}
}}
Edith Graef McGeer, {{Post-nominals|OC|OBC|FRSC|country = CAN}} (November 18, 1923 – August 28, 2023) was an American-Canadian neuroscientist, best known for her work and contributions to the research of prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Edith McGeer, along with her husband and co-collaborator, Patrick McGeer, were recognized by the International Scientific Institute as one of the 100 most highly cited researchers in neuroscience.{{Cite web |url=http://www.orderofbc.gov.bc.ca/members/obc-2005/2005-patrick-edith-mcgeer/ |title=Order of British Columbia |last=McGeer |first=Edith}} She was co-founder of Aurin Biotech, which is advancing the drug AUR1107 in pre-clinical trials and FDA approval as an anti-inflammatory treatment for Alzheimer's, muscular degenerative conditions and some cancers.{{Cite book |chapter=Inflammatory Processes Exacerbate Degenerative Neurological Disorders|chapter-url = https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.springer-6e1e02ba-6828-32a9-8866-61c2da885d8f |website=www.infona.pl|access-date = August 20, 2015 |doi=10.1007/978-0-387-87995-6_10 |title=Current Hypotheses and Research Milestones in Alzheimer's Disease |pages=117–124 |year=2009 |last1=McGeer |first1=Patrick L. |last2=McGeer |first2=Edith G. |last3=Schwab |first3=Claudia |isbn=978-0-387-87994-9}}
Education
McGeer, who said that her interest in mathematics began when she was five, skipped grades at the St. Agatha's School for Girls.{{Cite journal |url=http://bulletin.swarthmore.edu/winter-2015-issue-ii/life-lab |title=A Life in the Lab |journal=Swarthmore College Bulletin |date=Winter 2015|access-date = May 15, 2015}} At 16 years old, she declared a chemistry major at Swarthmore College and was not met with encouragement from the head of the chemistry department, since science wasn't considered a fitting profession for a woman in 1940. Graduating Phi Beta Kappa, McGeer completed her doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Virginia in two years.
Career accomplishments and awards
McGeer was a research chemist for the DuPont Company and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia where she worked as a research assistant at the University of British Columbia Medical School and eventually received the title of Professor Emeritus. McGeer held 10 patents and contributed to 525 articles and was the recipient of a special award by the British Columbia Science Council for lifetime contribution.
McGeer is identified as one of the top 100 most highly cited neuroscientists. She was jointly appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1995 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2001. She died on August 28, 2023, at the age of 99.{{cite web|title=In Memoriam: Dr. Edith G. McGeer, Professor Emerita|url=https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/in-memoriam-dr-edith-g-mcgeer-professor-emerita/|publisher=UBC Department of Psychiatry|date=September 6, 2023|access-date=September 8, 2023}}
References
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Category:20th-century American women scientists
Category:Alzheimer's disease researchers
Category:American neuroscientists
Category:Scientists from New York City
Category:Swarthmore College alumni
Category:University of Virginia alumni