Biography

Rebeca Gerschman, Jewish Argentine biochemist (Carlos Casares, Buenos Aires Province 19 June 1903 – Buenos Aires 04 April 1986)

Developed Gerschman-Marenzi method for studying changes in blood potassium concentration under distinct physiopathological conditions

With A.D. Marenzi in Anales Farm. Bioquim. 3:107-11, 1932

Proposed the oxygen toxicity was due to free radicals and first introduced the notion that free radicals are toxic agents

With D.L. Gilbert, S.W. Nye, D. Dwyer & W. O. Fenn. Oxygen poisoning and x-irradiation: a mechanism in common. Science 119:623, 1954  

With W.O. Fenn, D.L Gilbert, D.E. Terwilliger & F.V. Cothran. Mutagenic effects of high oxygen tensions on Escherichia coli. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 43(12):1027-32, 1957 

Proposed a type of hyperbaric chamber

Medicine & Physiology Nobel Prize nominee (1980s)