Mollie Holman

Updated on Nov 20, 2023

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Name Mollie Holman

Mollie Holman, AO, FAA (1930–2010) was an Australian physiologist.

Life and career

Mollie Holman was born on 18 June 1930 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

Daughter of an influential father William, a physician and radiologist and of homemaker mother Mollie (née Bain), Professor Holman was raised as one of four girls. Her father was very supportive of each daughter's intellectual development, and sparked and supported Mollie's interest in physics.

Holman died on 20 August 2010. She is survived by her sisters Jill, Joan and Lucie and their families.

Education

1952 - Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Melbourne

1955 - Master of Science (MSc) completed at the University of Melbourne

1957 - Doctor of Philosophy (Dphil) completed in Oxford

1960s- Doctor of Science (DSc) received from Monash University

1962 - Senior Lecturer in Physiology at the University of Melbourne

1963 - Senior Lecturer in Physiology at Monash University

Working life

1953-54 - Demonstrator in Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne-

1955-57 - Research student at the University of Oxford, on a University of Melbourne Travelling Scholarship

1957 - Wellcome Research Grant in Oxford

1958-62 - Lecturer in Physiology at the University of Melbourne

1965 - Edgeworth David Medal received from the Royal Society of New South Wales

1965-7? - Career position - Reader in Physiology at Monash University

1970 - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1970-96 - Professor at Monash University

1996 - Emeritus Professor at Monash University

Research

Professor Holman's research focused on the complex network of nerve cells that regulate autonomic movements (such as digestion and blood pressure), and how these interact with smooth muscle in the body.

In a successful collaboration with Geoff Burnstock, Mollie showed how nerves initiated smooth muscle contractions. She often worked late at night to avoid the unwanted vibrations from the rumblings of passing daytime traffic that interfered with her fine electrodes. Holman completed her DPhil degree in 1957 and returned to Australia in 1958. At about the same time Burnstock was appointed to the department of zoology, allowing the collaboration to continue. Their work on smooth muscle and its nerve supply was pioneering. A series of papers was published, beginning with a note to Nature magazine in 1960. This brought Mollie to the attention of the scientific community.

Sample paper from Google Scholar: [HTML] Two types of neurones in the myenteric plexus of duodenum in the guinea-pig GDS Hirst, ME Holman, I Spence - The Journal of Physiology, 1974 - Physiological Soc

Other interests

Mollie had a rich social life and many interests (ranging from roller-skating, as a child, to skiing and travel, as an adult) she applied herself after retirement to a range of tasks including learning about computers.

Awards

1965 - Edgeworth David Medal received from the Royal Society of New South Wales

1998 - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

The Mollie Holman Medal

Monash University offered for the first time in 1998, up to 10 medals for award to doctoral candidates, normally one from each faculty, who have fulfilled their degree requirements and presented their faculty's best thesis of the year.

Great to see good representation of women winning the Mollie Holman medals in 2013.

References

Mollie Holman Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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