Elizabeth Bugie
Elizabeth Bugie in the lab
Born(1920-10-05)October 5, 1920
DiedApril 10, 2001(2001-04-10) (aged 80)
Alma materRutgers University
New Jersey College for Women
Known forStreptomycin
Scientific career
ThesisProduction of antibiotic substances by Aspergillus flavus and Chaetomium cochliodes (1944)
Doctoral advisorSelman Waksman

Elizabeth Bugie Gregory (October 5, 1920 – April 10, 2001) was an American biochemist who co-discovered Streptomycin, the first antibiotic against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Selman Waksman laboratory at Rutgers University.[1] Waksman went on to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1952 and took the credit for the discovery.

Early life and education

Elizabeth Bugie was born to Charles Bugie and Madeline Turbett. Bugie's father never studied beyond high school, and was committed to her education.[1] He encouraged her to explore her curiosity, prompting her to be analytical and strong-willed.[2]

Bugie studied microbiology at the New Jersey College for Women.[1] She was a master's student at Rutgers University, working with Selman Waksman.[1] Her master's thesis, Production of antibiotic substances by aspergillus flavus and chaetomium cochliodes, looked to optimise the production of flavicin and chaetomin.[3]

Career

Bugie worked on antimicrobials which could protect plants from Dutch elm disease.[4] In 1944 Bugie, Waksman and Albert Schatz identified streptomycin in cultures of soil organisms, an antibiotic which was found to be active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.[5][6] Bugie was told that it was not important for her name to be on the patent as she would "one day get married and have a family".[1][7] Waksman went on to win the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1952 and took all the credit for the discovery of streptomycin.[1] Waksman claimed that Bugie was more involved in the discovery than Schatz.[8] Waksman also wrote articles about his discovery, rarely mentioning help he had received.[1][9] Bugie was eventually awarded 0.2% of the royalties for streptomycin.[10] After the discovery of streptomycin, Bugie worked on micromonosporin, a pigmented glycoprotein which was active against gram-positive bacteria.[11] Bugie worked for Merck & Co., evaluating pyrazinoic acid and penicillin as antibiotics against mycobacterium tuberculosis.[12] Bugie developed several antimicrobial substances.[13][14]

Personal life and death

After graduating, Bugie married Francis Joseph Gregory, who also worked as a microbiologist in the Waksman lab.[1] Bugie eventually returned to academia to get a degree in library science after raising her family.[1] Bugie's daughter, Eileen Gregory, is a microbiologist at Rollins College.[1] and has stated that her mother "did research not for notoriety but for love of science".[2] Bugie died on April 10, 2001.[15]

Discovery of streptomycin

In the discovery of Streptomycin three people played a large role, namely Waksman, Shatz, and Bugie, later known as Elizabeth Gregory. They worked closely together to ultimately, as a group, discover streptomycin. Waksman historically received the most recognition.

When looking at the contributions made to the study and discovery of streptomycin, Bugie contributed as much, if not more than Shatz.[16] However there was an uneven distribution in compensation that each contributor received. Schatz sued Waksman in order to get royalties,[1] but when each got their share, Waksman received 10%, Schatz 3%, and all of the other members of the lab shared the last 7%, in which Bugie received 0.2%.[2] When the patent was created, neither Waksman nor Shatz included Bugie, claiming that it would not matter because someday she would be married and have kids.[17] When the patent was originally signed, Bugie signed an affidavit.[18] In this affidavit, Bugie stated that she was informed about streptomycin by Waksman and Shatz and had no part in the discovery of streptomycin.[18] Bugie was, however, later quoted by her daughters as having said that if the women's liberation movement had been present, she would have received credit towards the patent on streptomycin.[1] Shatz explained "the fact that Waksman asked her to do the work was a testimonial to her talents and competence,"[2]showing how much of an impact she actually made, and how little she was compensated for it.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Angelova, Lidiya. "Elizabeth Bugie – the invisible woman in the discovery of streptomycin". Scientista | Women in STEM. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Obiturary: Elizabeth Gregory / Did McCandless woman get fair shake for role in discovery of streptomycin?". old.post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  3. ↑ Production of antibiotic substances by aspergillus flavus and chaetomium cochliodes.
  4. ↑ Waksman, Selman A.; Bugie, Elizabeth (1943-10-01). "Action of Antibiotic Substances Upon Ceratostotnella ulmi". Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 54 (1): 79–82. doi:10.3181/00379727-54-14310. ISSN 0037-9727. S2CID 87534513.
  5. ↑ "History of medicine - Medicine in the 20th century". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  6. ↑ Schatz, Albert; Bugle, Elizabeth; Waksman, Selman A. (1944-01-01). "Streptomycin, a Substance Exhibiting Antibiotic Activity Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria". Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 55 (1): 66–69. doi:10.3181/00379727-55-14461. ISSN 0037-9727. S2CID 33680180.
  7. ↑ "Elizabeth (Bugie) Gregory - published landmark article in 1944 - Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  8. ↑ "Selman Waksman and Antibiotics - Landmark - American Chemical Society". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  9. ↑ "Streptomycin — arrogance and anger". Pharmaceutical Journal. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  10. ↑ "Their Dispute Over Discovery of Streptomycin Is Settled". www.albertschatzphd.com. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  11. ↑ Waksman, Selman A.; Geiger, Walton B.; Bugie, Elizabeth (1 March 1947). "Micromonosporin, an Antibiotic Substance from a Little-known Group of Microorganisms". Journal of Bacteriology. 53 (3): 355–357. doi:10.1128/JB.53.3.355-357.1947. ISSN 0021-9193. PMC 518315. PMID 16561279. Wikidata Q40037245.
  12. ↑ Eveleigh, Douglas E.; Bennett, Joan W. (2018-05-01). Women Microbiologists at Rutgers in the Early Golden Age of Antibiotics. doi:10.1128/9781555819545. ISBN 9781555819538.
  13. ↑ Waksman, Selman A.; Bugie, Elizabeth (September 1943). "Strain Specificity and Production of Antibiotic Substances". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 29 (9): 282–288. doi:10.1073/pnas.29.9.282. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1078613. PMID 16578091.
  14. ↑ Waksman, S. A.; Bugie, E. (November 1944). "Chaetomin, a New Antibiotic Substance Produced by Chaetomium cochliodes: I. Formation and Properties". Journal of Bacteriology. 48 (5): 527–530. doi:10.1128/jb.48.5.527-530.1944. ISSN 0021-9193. PMC 374002. PMID 16560863.
  15. ↑ Snowbeck, Christopher (April 14, 2001). "Obiturary: Elizabeth Gregory / Did McCandless woman get fair shake for role in discovery of streptomycin?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Selman Waksman and Antibiotics - Landmark". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  17. ↑ "The Forgotten Women of the Antibiotics Race". Lady Science. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  18. 1 2 Wainwright, Milton (1991). "Streptomycin: Discovery and Resultant Controversy". History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences. 13 (1): 97–124. ISSN 0391-9714. JSTOR 23330620. PMID 1882032.
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