| Who's Who at EVMS: |
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There is an elite club at EVMS. It consists of three members; interestingly, they do not consider themselves to be part of a special group, yet statistically they are. These members are the three tenured full professors in the biomedical sciences who are women:
- Ann E. Campbell, PhD, professor of microbiology and molecular cell biology;
- Miriam D. Rosenthal, PhD, professor of physiological sciences; and
- Patricia B. Williams,
PhD, professor of pharmacology and professor of ophthalmology.
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Dr. Miriam Rosenthal was the first tenured full professor at EVMS, following the chairs. She has been an active teacher and researcher here since 1977; she received tenure in June 1989. During high
school, a dedicated science teacher took an interest in Rosenthal’s intellect and desire to pursue science as a career. He encouraged her to do research, enter the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, and apply for scholarships outside of Brooklyn. Success led to a scholarship at Swarthmore College, where she majored in biology. She then went on to Brandeis University where she earned a PhD in developmental biology. Following three years of post-doctoral training in nutritional biology at the Harvard School of Public Health, she accepted a faculty appointment at EVMS. Rosenthal has had a longstanding research interest in the cellular biochemistry of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and their contributions to the synthesis of prostaglandins and other local lipid hormones. For many years, she received funding from the NIH and the American Heart Association to investigate basic science questions underlying the mechanisms by which these lipid mediators protect against heart disease and fight inflammation. In the last few years, she has turned her attention to mechanisms by which estrogen regulates fetal and placental development and metabolic function. Dr. Rosenthal states that her “first love is teaching both medical students and young researchers in the laboratory.” She teaches extensively in the Medical Biochemistry course, which she describes as “emphasizing regulation of human metabolism and nutritional biochemistry more than traditional biochemical topics.” She currently serves as course director for both the biochemistry course and for medical molecular and cellular biology (MMCB). She notes the important role of experienced faculty in developing good teachers as well as good researchers. Her current contributions to the medical biochemistry course benefited from the mentoring and encouragement of Drs. Karl Schellenberg and Steven Hotta during her early years at EVMS.
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