Elizabeth Amy Kreiser Weisburger is a chemist who has made significant contributions in chemistry specifically chemical carcinogenesis. She worked for nearly 40 years at the National Cancer Institute and has received multiple awards for her work. Weisburger's research in chemical carcinogenesis was necessary in order to find treatments for cancer. Some of Weisburger's work include studying carcinogenesis, looking at the activity of carcinogens, and also determining the dangers of chemotherapy drugs. Elizabeth Weisburger is considered to be a pioneer in chemical carcinogenesis.
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Biography
Elizabeth Amy Kreiser Weisburger was born on April 9, 1924 in Finland, Pennsylvania. She was one of 10 childeren. At a very young age her family moved to Ono, Pennsylvania were Elizabeth grew up. Both of her parents were teachers along with many of her relatives so Elizabeth began learning at a young age at home. In 1944, she received a B.S. degree in chemistry from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth accepted a graduate assistantship job at the University of Cincinnati. In 1947, she received a Ph. D. degree from the University of Cincinnati. She continued to work at Cincinnati after receiving her degree. She married Jon Hans Weisburger in April 1947 who was also a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati. In 1949, Jon and Elizabeth Weisburger began postdoctoral studies at the National Cancer Institute. They had three children together and continued to work together until 1972 when Jon left the National Cancer Institute. In 1974, Jon and Elizabeth got divorced. In 1988, Elizabeth retired from the National Cancer Institute. She has four grandchildren, and she still works today. She still works for a consulting company and tutors for children.
Career
Elizabeth Amy Kreiser Weisburger's contributions to science are in the field of chemical carcinogenesis particularly on the molecular level. Her contributions aided in finding cancer treatments along with preventions. Her career began at the University of Cincinnati under Professor Francis Earl Ray. There she researched fluorene compounds for chemotherapeutic agents as well as carcinogenic agents. In 1949, Jon and Elizabeth both began postdoctoral work at the National Cancer Institute under Dr. Harold Morris. His research was in chemical carcinogenesis. In 1951, Elizabeth became an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. She then began work in a biochemistry lab at the National Cancer Institute. In 1961, Jon and Elizabeth together started the Carcinogen Screening Section of the Experimental Pathology Branch at the National Cancer Institute. In 1974, Elizabeth became chief of the Laboratory of Carcinogen Metabolism. She then moved to the Division of Cancer Etiology and became the assistant director for chemical carcinogenesis in 1981. After retiring in 1988 from the National Cancer Institute, she began consulting in toxicology and chemical carcinogenesis.
Awards
Weisburger received many awards during her career. Some of them are listed below: