Pearl Meister Greengard Prize awarded to Carol W. Greider at Rockefeller University for her discovery of telomerase.
On 19 November 2009, Carol W. Greider received the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize at The Rockefeller University, an award established to honor outstanding women scientists.
The 2009 prize recognized Greider’s discovery of telomerase and her elucidation of how chromosome ends are protected, work that had recently been honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The ceremony celebrated her role in advancing understanding of cellular aging and cancer, and highlighted the broader impact of her research on biomedical science.
This event is historically significant because the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize was created specifically to address the under-recognition of women in science. By awarding the prize to Greider, Rockefeller University placed a spotlight on her achievements and on the systemic challenges faced by women seeking visibility and credit in high-level research.
The prize ceremony contributed to reinforcing Greider’s status as a role model for women in molecular biology and medicine. It underscored the importance of dedicated awards for women scientists in correcting historical imbalances in recognition and helped embed her story within the narrative of women who have reshaped modern biology.