Austria

Did you know?

The pioneering work of Austrian scientist Gerti Theresa Radnitz Cori (1896-1984) and her husband, Carl Ferdinand Cori (1896-1957), transformed understanding of diabetes. They discovered the ‘cycle of carbohydrates’ or ‘Cori cycle’ – the biochemical process by which the body reversibly converts glucose to glycogen. Their work, for which they received a Nobel Prize in 1947, explained how carbohydrates supply energy to muscles during exercise and how carbohydrates are regenerated and stored until needed again by the muscles.

But Gerty Cori suffered the disadvantages of being woman in the male-dominated world of science. When she and Carl moved to the USA and were appointed to research positions, Gerty was received a salary 10-times lower than her husband – although they were equals in the lab. She was never offered a regular faculty position.