Famous Jew in History: Dr Gerti Cori (1896–1957)
Every second of every day, your body converts food into energy. It's something we rarely think about, yet for centuries, nobody fully understood how it worked.
One of the people who changed that was Dr Gerty Cori.
Born into a Jewish family in Prague in 1896, Gerty studied medicine alongside her husband, Carl. Together, they discovered how the body stores and releases energy by converting glucose into glycogen and back again, a process now known as the Cori Cycle. Their groundbreaking research transformed scientists' understanding of metabolism and laid the foundation for better treatments for diabetes and many other metabolic disorders.
Despite her brilliance, Gerty faced constant barriers. At a time when women were rarely recognised in science, she was often paid less than her husband and denied the same career opportunities. She refused to let those obstacles stand in her way.
In 1947, Gerty Cori became the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and her discoveries continue to influence medical research and patient care today.
By asking questions others couldn't answer, Cori helped unlock discoveries that continue to improve the health of millions of people around the world.