Shyamala Gopalan

Shyamala Gopalan
Born(1938-12-07)December 7, 1938
DiedFebruary 11, 2009(2009-02-11) (aged 70)
Other namesGopalan Shyamala, G. Shyamala, Shyamala Gopalan Harris
Education
Known forProgesterone receptor biology and applications to breast cancer, mother of U.S. vice president Kamala Harris
Spouse
(m. 1963; div. 1971)
Children
Parent(s)P. V. Gopalan (father)
Rajam Gopalan (mother)
Scientific career
Institutions
ThesisThe isolation and purification of a trypsin inhibitor from whole wheat flour (1964)
Doctoral advisorRichard L. Lyman

Shyamala Gopalan (December 7, 1938 – February 11, 2009) was a biomedical scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, whose work in isolating and characterizing the progesterone receptor gene has stimulated advances in breast biology and oncology. She was the mother of Kamala Harris (former vice president of the United States who also served as attorney general of California and senator,) and Maya Harris, a lawyer and political commentator.