Elena Alexandrovna Timofeeva-Resovskaya at the forefront of radiobiology in the XX century

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the work was to show the outstanding contribution of Elena Alexandrovna Timofeeva-Resovskaya (1898-1973) to the development of radiobiology. Materials and methods. This article was prepared on the basis of the author's memoirs, using materials from the personal archive, as well as literary and electronic sources. Results and Conclusions. For the first time the autobiography of Elena A. Timofeeva-Resovskaya and the periods of her scientific activity are revealed. The priority in the radiobiology of aquatic ecosystems belongs to Elena A. Timofeeva-Resovskaya. The results of her work turned out to be important both for solving the problems of radioactive contamination of territories, and for the development of modern radioecology. Throughout her life, she worked with her husband Nikolay V. Timofeev-Resovsky (1900-1981), a great scientist and scientific enlightener of the world level. It was not the purpose of this article to describe the life of their family, full of exciting events, but it was not possible to avoid it. For young women planning a scientific career, Elena A. Timofeeva-Resovskaya is an example of a successful path in science even in turbulent times.