Edith Bülbring

Edith Bülbring, FRS (27 December 1903 – 5 July 1990) was a British scientist in the field of smooth muscle physiology, one of the first women accepted to the Royal Society as a fellow (FRS). She was professor of pharmacology in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford (1967–71) and professorial fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, later emeritus professor (1971–1990).

Born in Bonn, Germany, Bülbring was the daughter of Hortense Leonore and Karl Bülbring, a professor of English. She was educated in medicine at the University of Bonn, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and the University of Freiburg, and became research assistant to the pharmacologist Ulrich Friedemann. When he and other Jewish colleagues were dismissed by the Nazis, she was initially overlooked, because she was only partly Jewish (her mother was Jewish), Her multiple successes were recognised widely for which she received a number of awards, including The Schmiedeberg-Plakette of the Deutsche Pharmakologische Gesellschaft, The Wellcome Gold Medal in Pharmacology, and honorary degrees in Groningen, Leuven and Homburg (Saar).

After retiring in 1971, Bülbring worked in a laboratory at the Physiology Laboratory in Oxford. Atherosclerosis and an old ankle injury that caused her to have poor circulation to her foot led to the amputation of her leg below the knee. A septuagenarian, she had a Swiss prosthesis made and had modifications made to her car, returning to her work. When her atherosclerosis progressed and the circulation in her other leg began failing, she tried all manner of treatments. Following a risky operation, Bulbring died on 5 July 1990.

Family Father: Dr. Karl Bülbring (1863–1917) Mother: Hortense Leonore Bülbring (née Kann; 1868–1938) Siblings: Hans Bülbring (brother, 1898–1918), Luci Bülbring (sister, 1900–?) and Maud Bülbring (sister, 1902–1960)

Publications from work at Oxford 1972 Recent developments in the study of drug action on cellular mechanisms ill smooth muscle. International Congress of Pharmacology, 4. Manus P/1-P/2. 1973 (with D.M. Needham) ed. A discussion on recent development in vertebrate smooth muscle physiology. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 265, 1–231. (with H. Kuriyama) The action of catecholamines on guinea-pig taenia coli. PhiL Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B., 265, 115–121. (with J.H. Szurszewski) The stimulant action of acetylcholine and catecholamines on the uterus. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B., 265, 149–155. Action of catecholamines on the smooth muscle cell membrane. pp. 1–13 In: "Drug Receptors", ed. H.P. Rang. Macmillan London. Possible mechanism of the action of catecbolamines on smooth muscle. pp. 389–391 in Frontiers in Catecholamine Research. eels, E. Usdin & S. Snyder. Pergamon London. 1974 (with J.H. Szurszewski) The stimulant action of noradrenaline (α-action) on guinea-pig myometrium compared with that of acetylcholine. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B., 185, 225–262. Scientific Visits to China under arrangements between the Academia Sinica: and the Royal Society. Report on visit 10th to 25 November 1973 p. 14-33. The Royal Society. 1975 (with J.H. Hardman) Effects on smooth muscle of nucleotides and the dibutyryl analogues of cyclic nucleotides. INSERM, SO, 125–133. 1976 (with M.F. Shuba) eel. Physiology of Smooth Muscle. Kiev Symp. 1975 Raven Press, New York. Catecholamines then and now. J. Pharm. Pharmac. 28, 348–355. 1977 (with A Den Henog) The 8-action of catecholamines on the smooth muscle of guinea-pia taenia coli. J. Physiol. 268. 29P-30P. (with T. Tomita) The alpha-action of catecholamines on the guinea-pig taenia coli in K-free and Na-free solution and in the presence of ouabain. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B., 197, 255–269. (with T. Tomita) Calcium requirement for the alpha-action of catecholamines on guinea-pig taenia coli. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B., 197, 271–284. 1978 (with T.B. Bolton) Adrenoceptors in visceral smooth muscle. pp. 7–13 In: "Recent Advances in the Pharmacology of Adrenoceptors". eds E. Szabadi, C.M. Bradshaw and P. Bevan. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 1979 (with T. Tomita and S. Usune) The essential role of Ca in the response of the smooth muscle cell membrane to catecholamines. IV International Catecholamine Symposium, pp 429–431 in Catecholamines: Basic and Clinical Frontiers. Eds. Usdin Kopin and Barchas. Pergamon. London. Postjunctional adrenergic mechanisms. Brit. Med. Bull. vol. 3S 2SS-293. (with T.B. Bolton) ed. Smooth Muscle. Brit. Med. Bull.vol. 35. 1980 (with A. Den Henog) The action of isoprenaline on the smooth muscle of guinea pig taenia coli. J. Physiol. 304, 277–296. 1981 (with H. Ohashi and T. Tomita) Adrenergic mechanisms. pp. 219–293 in "Smooth Muscle :an assessment of current knowledge", E. Bülbring, A.F. Brading, A.W. Jones & T. Tomita. Edward Arnold, London. (with A.F. Brading, A.W. Jones and T. Tomita) eds. "Smooth Muscle: an assessment of current knowledge•. Edward Arnold. London. 1984 (with J.M. Walker) Joshua Harold Bum, 1892–1981. Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 30, 45–89. 1987 (with T. Tomita) Catecholamine action on smooth muscle. Pharmacological Reviews, Vol. 39, 49–96.