Hello everyone,
I'm Nidhi Gupta, and this is Women Weekly! In this week of discussing the wonderful women in STEM, we are back with yet another incredible story of Nettie Stevens' whose discoveries about sex determination laid the groundwork for numerous advancements in genetic research, including studies on Turner syndrome, Down syndrome, and the chromosomal basis of heredity.
Nettie Stevens was a trailblazer in genetics, one of the first scientists to wholeheartedly embrace Gregor Mendel's principles of heredity and the role chromosomes play in this process. Her work was nothing short of revolutionary. During her PhD research, Stevens made a remarkable discovery: in mealworms, female somatic cells contained 20 large chromosomes, while males had 19 large chromosomes and a smaller Y chromosome. This clear chromosomal difference between males and females pointed to a genetic basis for sex determination, a finding that Stevens replicated across more than 50 species.
Stevens' seminal work, "Studies in Spermatogenesis," laid the foundation for our understanding of sex chromosomes. Her research revealed the existence of XX and XY chromosomes, the fundamental blueprint for gender. Yet, despite this monumental discovery, the credit often goes to Edmund Wilson, another geneticist working in the same field. While both Stevens and Wilson arrived at similar conclusions independently, it was Wilson who received the lion's share of recognition, leaving Stevens' contributions in the shadows.
In just 11 years, Stevens published an astonishing 38 manuscripts, leaving an indelible mark on the field of biology. Despite her extraordinary impact, she remains unrecognized for her contributions. The highest position Stevens ever attained was as an associate in experimental morphology at Bryn Mawr College, despite her groundbreaking research. Thomas Hunt Morgan, a mentor to Stevens who famously did not initially accept the theory of chromosomal inheritance, is often credited with discovering the genetic basis for sex determination. Morgan went on to win the Nobel Prize in 1933 "for his discoveries concerning the role played by the chromosome in heredity," a recognition that, by rights, should have also included Stevens.
Her work was foundational, yet she never received the accolades she deserved during her lifetime. It is time that Stevens' contributions are fully recognized and celebrated, not just as a footnote in the history of genetics, but as a central figure who helped shape our understanding of the biological world.
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