A Female Pioneer—Doubly Recognized

Helen Ollendorff Curth: A dermatologist’s lasting legacy

“…Under his mentorship, Ollendorff Curth first described and defined disseminated dermatofibrosis lenticularis , later known as BOS, in 1928 (Burgdorf and Hoenig, 2013, Burgdorf and Scholz, 2004, Woodrow et al, 2001). …”

“…5) (Burgdorf and Scholz, 2004). The couple immigrated to the United States in 1931 where they opened a medical practice in New York City and formed a long-standing association with Columbia University (Burgdorf and Hoenig, 2013, Burgdorf and Scholz, 2004). Ollendorff Curth continued her landmark work in the study of genodermatoses and began collaborating in 1954 with fellow female academic medical geneticist, Madge Thurlow Macklin (Fig.…”

“…Born in 1899 into a successful Jewish family in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland), she grew up under the guidance of her mother, Paula, a women’s advocate in her own right. Paula was an elected city councilor and social advocate who worked to establish supportive housing for single women and victims of domestic abuse (Burgdorf and Hoenig, 2013). …”

“…Growing anti-Semitism in Germany catalyzed her immigration to the United States where she, along with her husband, Rudolf Wilhelm Paul Curth, would form a longstanding professional relationship with Columbia University (Burgdorf and Hoenig, 2013, Burgdorf and Scholz, 2004). …”

“…Ollendorff Curth also earned the distinction of being eponymously commemorated in two separate genodermatoses: Buschke-Ollendorff Syndrome (BOS) under her maiden name, and Ichthyosis hystrix, Curth-Macklin (IHCM) type under her married name (Burgdorf and Hoenig, 2013). The current article provides an update on these two conditions and shows how modern genetic analysis of affected patients has both improved our understanding of the disease pathophysiology and honored the legacy of one of the first female leaders of academic dermatology.…”