Mary Jane Osborn
Mary Jane Osborn | |
|---|---|
Presenting an award in 1982 | |
| Born | Mary Jane Merten September 24, 1927 |
| Died | January 17, 2019 (aged 91) |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) University of Washington (Ph.D.) |
| Known for | research on lipopolysaccharides, discovering the mechanism of action of methotrexate |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology |
| Institutions | New York University College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine University of Connecticut School of Medicine University of Connecticut Health Center |
Mary Jane Osborn (September 24, 1927 – January 17, 2019) was an American biochemist and microbiologist known for her research on the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (bacterial endotoxin), a key component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, and discovering the mechanism of action of the anti-cancer drug methotrexate. She headed the Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics at the University of Connecticut Health Center and served as president of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.