Elaine Diacumakos

Elaine Diacumakos (August 11, 1930 – June 11, 1984) was an American cell biologist and head of the cytobiology laboratory at Rockefeller University. She developed the first techniques for removing and inserting material into and from cells.

Elaine Diacumakos
Born11 August 1930
Died11 June 1984
Alma materUniversity of Maryland, College Park
New York University
Known forCell biology
Scientific career
InstitutionsRockefeller University

Early life and education

Diacumakos was born in Chester, Pennsylvania on August 11, 1930.[1] She studied zoology the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating in 1951. She completed a master's in embryology in 1955 and her doctorate at New York University in 1958.[1] She remained there as a research associate until 1964.[2]

Research

Diacumakos completed her postdoctoral training at Rockefeller University between 1958 and 1960.[1] She worked at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell University Medical Center from 1965 to 1971.[1] In 1961 she joined Edward Tatum, developing microneedle techniques that allowed her to transplant the nuclei of one cell to another.[1]

She returned to Rockefeller University as a senior researcher in 1971, working on cellular drug resistance and cell insertion techniques.[1][3][4] She made important contributions to the micromanipulation of mammalian cells.[5][6] She studied the displacement of chromosomes during extraction at different mitotic stages.[7] She demonstrated the precise fusion of mammalian somatic cells using microsurgery in 1972.[8] She was made head of the Cytobiology Laboratory in 1975 after Tatum died unexpectedly.[1] She was unable to raise funding for her own research.[2] Her work with micropipettes became well known, and she worked with Dana Giulian on electrodes which could impale human cells without damage and measure the potential of a cytoplasm.[9][10]

In 1979 she collaborated with William French Anderson to insert a functioning gene into a defective cell within a living mouse, correcting a genetic defect.[1][11][12] Her microsurgical techniques opened new paths to curing medical conditions.[12] They conducted their first ever experiment on a human 11 years later.[2][13] She lectured at the Pasteur Institute in 1981.[1]

Diacumakos died of a heart attack on June 11, 1984.[1]

References
  1. Waggoner, Walter H. "ELAINE DIACUMAKOS, HELD A LEADING ROLE IN CELL MICROSURGERY". Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  2. 1964-, Oakes, Elizabeth H. (2007). Encyclopedia of world scientists (Rev. ed.). New York: Facts on File. ISBN 9781438118826. OCLC 466364697.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. Diacumakos, Elaine G.; Holland, Scott; Pecora, Pauline (April 1970). "A Microsurgical Methodology for Human Cells in Vitro: Evolution and Applications*". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 65 (4): 911–918. doi:10.1073/pnas.65.4.911. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 283003. PMID 5266161.
  4. Sigler, Paul B. (2017-01-31). The Molecular Basis of Mutant Hemoglobin Dysfunction. Elsevier. ISBN 9781483165219.
  5. International Review of Cytology. Academic Press. 1989-05-01. ISBN 9780080586526.
  6. Nichols, Warren (2012-12-06). Senescence: Dominant or Recessive in Somatic Cell Crosses?. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781468425086.
  7. DIACUMAKOS, ELAINE G.; HOLLAND, SCOTT; PECORA, PAULINE (July 1971). "Chromosome Displacement in and Extraction from Human Cells at Different Mitotic Stages". Nature. 232 (5305): 33–36. doi:10.1038/232033a0. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 4933170. S2CID 4222857.
  8. Diacumakos, Elaine G.; Tatum, Edward L. (October 1972). "Fusion of Mammalian Somatic Cells by Microsurgery". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 69 (10): 2959–2962. doi:10.1073/pnas.69.10.2959. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 389683. PMID 4507616.
  9. Information, Reed Business (1977-02-17). New Scientist. Reed Business Information.
  10. Giulian, D; Diacumakos, E. G (1977-01-01). "The electrophysiological mapping of compartments within a mammalian cell". The Journal of Cell Biology. 72 (1): 86–103. doi:10.1083/jcb.72.1.86. ISSN 0021-9525. PMC 2110992. PMID 63464.
  11. Thompson, Larry (1991-01-20). "FRENCH ANDERSON'S GENETIC DESTINY". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  12. "Genes Injected into Deficient Cells". Chemical & Engineering News. 57 (42): 6. 1979-10-15. doi:10.1021/cen-v057n042.p006. ISSN 0009-2347.
  13. "Vol. 245, No. 1, July 1981 of Scientific American on JSTOR". JSTOR e24964476. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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