Helen Lee Gruehl

Helen Lee Gruehl Aikman (December 20, 1902 – September 1983) was an American immunologist.

Early life and education Gruehl was born in Passaic, New Jersey, the daughter of Edward Charles Gruehl and Susan Ramsay Mason Gruehl. Her father was manager of a rubber factory; her mother was a teacher and clubwoman. Gruehl graduated from Passaic High School in 1920, and from Mount Holyoke College in 1924. Her major was chemistry, and her minor was in mathematics; she was also known as a dancer during her college years.

Career Gruehl taught in the immunology department of Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York University, while doing research on anaphylaxis. She co-authored over a dozen scientific articles on protein sensitivity, allergies and asthma. Her work appeared in scholarly journals including Experimental Biology and Medicine, Journal of Immunology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, American Journal of Epidemiology, and Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. "Respiratory Anaphylaxis: Sensitization, Shock, Bronchial Asthma, and Death Induced in the Guinea Pig by the Nasal Inhalation of Dry Horse Dander" (1927, with Bret Ratner and Holmes C. Jackson) "Is Respiratory Anaphylaxis (Asthma) the Result of a Local or General Sensitization?" (1928, with Bret Ratner) "Congenital Hypersensitiveness Transmitted to the Third Generation" (1929, with Bret Ratner) "The Sensitizing Dose in Respiratory Anaphylaxis (Asthma)" (1929, with Bret Ratner) "Respiratory Anaphylaxis (Asthma) and Ricin Poisoning Induced with Castor Bean Dust" "Congenital Protein Hypersensitiveness in Two Generations" (1931, with Bret Ratner) "Passage of native proteins through the normal gastro-intestinal wall" (1934, with Bret Ratner) "Anaphylactogenic properties of malted sugars and corn syrup" (1935, with Bret Ratner)

Personal life Gruehl married building contractor Edgerton Ladd Aikman in 1930. and she died in 1983, in Concord, Massachusetts, at the age of 81.