Undergraduate students taking biology are likely aware of Okazaki fragments, those small pieces of DNA that are made discontinuously during DNA replication. Likely they know they are named after the scientist that discovered them, probably picturing a male Japanese scientist. But did you know these fragments were discovered in the 1960s by a husband and wife team: Reiji and Tsuneko? In a tale as old as time, Reiji got invited to give the talks and Tsuneko was either thought of as his spouse or as a supporting researcher. She took on the role of single, working mother in 1975 when Reiji died and was faced with many of the issues current working mothers face. Trying to juggle her full-time research and motherhood responsibilities, she even marched for more availability of childcare. Over the years, Tsuneko (now 89) continued her own work making important contributions in molecular biology. Women in Science Prepared by Dr. Jeanelle Morgan and Dr. Jill Schulze
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