Rita Levi-Montalcini |
Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909–2012) was a neurobiologist who discovered how nerves develop due to chemical signals between cells. She shared the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the “nerve growth factor” protein, work that she started in her home during World War II. Levi-Montalcini’s discovery shed light on brain development and what can go wrong in diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other forms of dementia. She held both Italian and American citizenship and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
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