Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Aug 12;16(8):e66703.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.66703. eCollection 2024 Aug.

Marie Curie (1867-1934): Twice Nobel Laureate and Her Enduring Legacy in Radiation Medicine

Nandan M Shanbhag  1   2   3 , Abdulrahman Bin Sumaida  2 , Khalid Balaraj  2
Affiliations
Review

Marie Curie (1867-1934): Twice Nobel Laureate and Her Enduring Legacy in Radiation Medicine

Nandan M Shanbhag et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Marie Curie, a distinguished physicist and chemist, profoundly transformed the fields of radiology and medicine through her pioneering research on radioactivity. As the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win in two different scientific fields, Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911), Curie's achievements have left an indelible mark on medical science. This historical vignette explores her groundbreaking discoveries, including the isolation of radium and polonium, and her innovative applications of radioactivity in medicine, particularly in the treatment of cancer. It also delves into her relentless pursuit of knowledge and her role as a mentor, which inspired future generations of scientists and medical professionals. By examining Curie's contributions and enduring legacy, this article underscores her pivotal role in shaping modern medical practices and highlights her lasting influence on human health. Through this exploration, we aim to celebrate the life and achievements of a true pioneer whose work continues to inspire and drive advancements in medical science today.

Keywords: cancer treatment; historical review; historical vignette; medical pioneers; nobel laureate; polonium; radioactivity; radiology; radium; scientific mentorship.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Pierre and Marie Skłodowska Curie
Date: Circa 1895 Source: Wikipedia File: Pierre Curie et Marie Skłodowska Curie, 1895 [9] Author: Unknown author Permission: Public domain This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer to the library. There are no known copyright restrictions on the use of this work.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Marie Curie in her lab
Date: Circa 1921 Source: The World's Work 16, 525 (1921) and Scientific Monthly 12, 580 (1921) [14] Author: "Wide World Photos" and "Underwood and Underwood, New York" This work is from the Library of Congress. According to the library, there are no known copyright restrictions on the use of this work. Images submitted for copyright by Underwood & Underwood are in the public domain in the United States due to expiration or lack of renewal.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. The life and legacy of Marie Curie. Rockwell S. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15482656/ Yale J Biol Med. 2003;76:167–180. - PMC - PubMed
    1. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1911. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1911. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Fri. 26 Jul. [ Jul; 2024 ]. 2024. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1911/summary/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1911/summary/
    1. Madame Curie: a biography by Eve Curie. Benjamin H. Science. 1937;87:69–70.
    1. The enduring legacy of Marie Curie: impacts of radium in 21st century radiological and medical sciences. Abergel R, Aris J, Bolch WE, et al. Int J Radiat Biol. 2022;98:267–275. - PMC - PubMed
    1. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1935. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1935. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Fri. 26 Jul. [ Jul; 2024 ]. 2024. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1935/summary/ https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1935/summary/

LinkOut - more resources