Overlooked histories in ageing research: Pioneering women at the foundation of our field

Abstract

A list of this decade's most prominent names in ageing research would undoubtedly include many women who have led the field in recent years. While the field, and science in general, still have far to go in achieving gender parity in opportunities and recognition, we can celebrate the progress made to date. However, the longer ‘history of the field’ that many of us present in our classrooms, conference halls and writings often tends to be dominated by men. Although numerous men have made fundamental observations that have shaped our understanding of ageing from both a mechanistic and evolutionary perspective, the unfortunate reality is that women making similar contributions have not received equal recognition throughout much of our field's history. As a starting point for wider representation and further conversations in this area, we present here a short list of women—Marjory Warren, Lillian Jane Martin, Margaret Alexander Ohlson, Rebeca Gerschman and Marion J. Lamb—whose contributions were foundational to ageing research in the 20th century. Their work spanned theoretical, experimental and clinical insight into the biology of ageing—and yet their names are too seldom mentioned when introducing our field. We hope this list can be a starting point for a more inclusive recognition of the diverse scientists who helped pave the way for our field today.