Rita Levi-Montalcini - Someone who made many contributions to Italian science

Rita Levi-Montalcini (April 22, 1909 - December 30, 2012) was an Italian neurologist. She and colleague Stanley Cohen discovered "nerve growth factor" (NGF) and received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986 for this work.

NGF is now being further studied for its potential therapeutic properties in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and cellular diseases such as cancer.

Rita Levi-Montalcini was born into a Jewish family in Turin, Italy. She soon decided to study medicine and enrolled in Torino Medical School in 1930.

Rita Levi-Montalcini in her laboratory in 1959.

After graduating in 1936, her path to pursuing a medical career was hindered by Benito Mussolini's Racial Declaration on the Jews. She was then forced to evacuate to Florence, but she returned to her hometown after the war. 

The Levi-Montalcini family has four children. In the photo, Rita is the girl on the far right.

In 1947, Rita accepted a job offer at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri (USA), along with zoologist Viktor Hamburger, who is studying the development of nervous tissue in chicken embryos. 

Image of Rita Levi-Montalcini at age 11.

While observing some cancerous tissue, Rita and Viktor discovered the effects of a substance in tumors that they named "nerve growth factor" (NGF) - a substance that plays an important role in development of nerve cells. 

Portrait of scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini in 1975.

Her colleague, biologist Stanley Cohen, was then able to isolate NGF from the tumor. Thanks to this research, Rita and Stanley both received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986.

Rita Levi-Montalcini on a vacation.

Rita founded the Institute of Cell Biology in Rome (Italy) in 1962 and in 1987 she was awarded the National Medal of Science. 

Scientist at 98 years old.

In 2001, she was awarded the title "Senator for Life" in the Italian Senate for her contributions to Italian and world science, despite the difficulties and criticism she encountered due to being Jewish. Thai. 

Rita Levi-Montalcini at her 100th birthday party at Rome's town hall, Italy, 2009

She passed away in 2012, at the age of 103, and is considered the oldest living Nobel laureate , as of 2012. Rita is honored to this day and her name was even given to a hybrid orchid variety in 2016. (Ophrys montalciniae).

The hybrid orchid variety 'Ophrys montalciniae' is named after scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini.