The Washington Post July 11, 2026 • 10:02

Defying skeptics of women in science, she pioneered GMO research in plants - The Washington Post

By Harrison Smith

Defying skeptics of women in science, she pioneered GMO research in plants - The Washington Post

Mary-Dell Chilton, who has died at 87, led a team credited with developing the first genetically modified plant.

Few women were studying for a PhD in chemistry when Mary-Dell Chilton enrolled in graduate school in 1960. Fewer still were focused on the mysteries of molecular biology, and the way the genetic code… [+57 chars]

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