Anita Roberts

Anita Roberts was an American molecular biologist who made pioneering observations of a protein, TGF-β, that is critical in healing wounds and bone fractures and that has a dual role in blocking or stimulating cancers. She was the first female African American to be awarded a Phd. in molecular biology.

Roberts was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1942. She showed an early aptitude for science, and she attended Oberlin College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1964.

After graduating, Roberts worked as a research assistant at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She then went on to earn a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1972.

After completing her Ph.D., Roberts worked as a research scientist at the National Cancer Institute. She was involved in research on the protein TGF-β, which she discovered in 1982. TGF-β is a protein that is involved in many different cellular processes, including wound healing, bone formation, and cancer growth.

Roberts's work on TGF-β has had a profound impact on the field of molecular biology. Her discoveries have led to new treatments for cancer and new ways to promote wound healing and bone formation.

Roberts died in 2006. She was a brilliant scientist and a pioneer in the field of molecular biology. She paved the way for other women of colour to pursue careers in science.

Anita Roberts, a molecular biologist, made pioneering observations of a protein, TGF-β, that is critical in healing wounds and bone fractures and that has a dual role in blocking or stimulating cancers.