Mollie Holman was born on 18 June 1930 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
Background
Daughter of an influential father William, a physician and radiologist and of homemaker mother Mollie (née Bain), Professor Holman was raised as one of four girls. Her father was very supportive of each daughter"s intellectual development, and sparked and supported Mollie"s interest in physics.
Education
1952 - Bachelor of Science (Bachelor of Science) completed at the University of Melbourne
1955 - Master of Science (Master of Science ) completed at the University of Melbourne
1957 - Doctor of Philosophy (Dphil) completed in Oxford
1960sDoctor of Science (Doctor of Science) received from Monash University
1962 - Senior Lecturer in Physiology at the University of Melbourne
1963 - Senior Lecturer in Physiology at Monash University.
Career
Mollie Holman, Association for the Study of Internal Fixation, Federal Aviation Administration (1930–2010) was an Australian physiologist. Holman died on 20 August 2010. 1953-1954 - Demonstrator in Pharmacology at the University of Melbourne- 1955-1957 - student at the University of Oxford, on a University of Melbourne Travelling Scholarship 1957 - Wellcome Grant in Oxford 1958-1962 - Lecturer in Physiology at the University of Melbourne 1965-1967? - Career position - Reader in Physiology at Monash University 1970 - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (Federal Aviation Administration) 1970-1996 - Professor at Monash University 1996 - Emeritus Professor at Monash University Professor Holman"s research focused on the complex network of nerve cells that regulate autonomic movements (such as digestion and blood pressure), and how these interact with smooth muscle in the body.
In a successful collaboration with Geoff Burnstock, Mollie showed how nerves initiated smooth muscle contractions.
She often worked late at night to avoid the unwanted vibrations from the rumblings of passing daytime traffic that interfered with her fine electrodes. Holman completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1957 and returned to Australia in 1958.
At about the same time Burnstock was appointed to the department of zoology, allowing the collaboration to continue. Their work on smooth muscle and its nerve supply was pioneering.
A series of papers was published, beginning with a note to Nature magazine in 1960.
This brought Mollie to the attention of the scientific community. Sample paper from Google Scholar: Two types of neurones in the myenteric plexus of duodenum in the guinea-pig Global Distribution System Hirst, Master of Engineering Holman, I Spence - The Journal of Physiology, 1974 - Physiological Social Mollie had a rich social life and many interests (ranging from roller-skating, as a child, to skiing and travel, as an adult) she applied herself after retirement to a range of tasks including learning about computers. Monash University offered for the first time in 1998, up to 10 medals for award to doctoral candidates, normally one from each faculty, who have fulfilled their degree requirements and presented their faculty"s best thesis of the year.