Oral History Interview: Lorraine Meisner (0646)

Abstract

In her 2003 interview, Lorraine Meisner, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, professor of population health sciences, and chief of the cytogenetic section of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of hygiene, reflects on her upbringing, education, and career. She shares the educational challenges she faced as a woman, and later the struggle of balancing her career with motherhood. Meisner highlights the lack of women in science fields and discusses the impact of federal legislation on affirmative action. Some of her own efforts lead to improvements in childcare and salary equity, but systemic biases persist. She emphasizes the importance of role models and mentorship for women in academia. Meisner discusses her research on environmental toxicants and DNA probes, particularly in breast cancer, which resulted in her receiving a significant grant from the Army. She highlights the historical misconceptions about breast cancer spreading via lymphatics, and advocates for less invasive surgical methods based on genetic markers. Meisner also describes her work on peripheral blood for leukemia diagnosis, which lead to her tenure. She criticizes institutional discrimination, and shares an instance of a less qualified man being hired instead of her. Meisner continues to advocate for non-invasive cancer treatments and advancements in genetic research. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the UW-Madison Archives and Records Management Oral History Program.