Shyamala Gopalan (1938-2009) Biography, Family

Quick Info

Profession	Biomedical Scientist, Associate Professor
Nationality	American
Date of Birth	07/12/1938
Age	70 years (died on 11, Feb, 2009)
Birthplace	Madras, Madras Province, British India
Date of Death	11/02/2009

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Bio/Wiki

Full Name	Shyamala Gopalan Harris
Other Names	Gopalan Shyamala Shyamala Harris G. Shyamala
Famous for	Biomedical scientist whose work in isolating and characterizing the progesterone receptor gene stimulated advances in breast biology and oncology; Mother of Kamala Harris, 49th Vice President of United States

Physical Stats & More

Height	5' 1" (155 cm)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Dark Brown

Educational Qualification(s)

School	Delhi Tamil Education Association Senior Secondary Schools, Delhi
College/University	Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India (1955-1958) University of California, Berkeley (1958-1960)
Qualifications	Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Home Science from Lady Irwin College Master of Science (M.S.) in nutrition and endocrinology from the University of California, Berkeley PhD. in nutrition and endocrinology from the University of California, Berkeley

Personal Life

Religion	Hinduism
Caste	Brahmin
Marital Status	Divorced
Cause of Death	Colon cancer
Place of Death	Oakland, California, United States

Relationships & More

Marital Status (at the time of death)	Divorced
Affairs/Boyfriends	Donald J. Harris
Marriage Date	05/07/1963
Place of Marriage	Oakland, California
Divorce Date	1971

Family

Father

Painganadu Venkataraman Gopalan (Freedom Fighter, Retired Civil Servant)

Mother

Rajam Gopalan (Social Worker)

Siblings

Balachandran
Sarala (Obstetrician)
Mahalakshmi (Information Scientist)

Spouse

Donald J. Harris (m. 1963-div. 1971
Economist, Professor, Writer)

Children

Kamala Harris
Maya Harris
Kamala Harris (49th Vice President of United States)
Maya Harris (Lawyer and Political Commentator)

Other Relatives

Granddaughters	Meenakshi Ashley Harris (Lawyer, Author, Activist, Theater Producer) Sharada Balachandran Orihuela (Author)

Career

Summary	Shyamala Gopalan led a distinguished career in biomedical science with a strong commitment to civil rights and education. She earned her credentials as a leading expert in nutrition and endocrinology, serving in notable positions across prestigious institutions including the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Highlights	Worked as a postdoctoral research physiologist at the University of California, Berkeley (1963-1966) Served as a visiting scientist at the University of Illinois (1965-1967) Actively participated in civil rights activism alongside her husband Held a position as a special research fellow at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research (1968-1969) Worked as an Assistant Research Biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley (1969-1974) Became an Associate Professor at McGill University, Montreal in 1983 Worked at Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal (1983-1999) Collaborated with NIH researchers on heat shock proteins in breast cancer (1989 publications) Continued breast cancer research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory after leaving McGill Developed a method of assessing cancerous breast tissue that became standard procedure at hospitals Pioneered research on progesterone receptors in breast cancer, transforming understanding of hormone-responsiveness in breast tissue

Summary

Shyamala Gopalan led a distinguished career in biomedical science with a strong commitment to civil rights and education. She earned her credentials as a leading expert in nutrition and endocrinology, serving in notable positions across prestigious institutions including the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Highlights

Worked as a postdoctoral research physiologist at the University of California, Berkeley (1963-1966)
Served as a visiting scientist at the University of Illinois (1965-1967)
Actively participated in civil rights activism alongside her husband
Held a position as a special research fellow at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research (1968-1969)
Worked as an Assistant Research Biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley (1969-1974)
Became an Associate Professor at McGill University, Montreal in 1983
Worked at Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal (1983-1999)
Collaborated with NIH researchers on heat shock proteins in breast cancer (1989 publications)
Continued breast cancer research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory after leaving McGill
Developed a method of assessing cancerous breast tissue that became standard procedure at hospitals
Pioneered research on progesterone receptors in breast cancer, transforming understanding of hormone-responsiveness in breast tissue

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Shyamala was trained in Carnatic music by her mother in her childhood and earned fame for her singing skills.
2. She was the recipient of a gold medal in a national singing competition and often performed on the radio for remuneration.
3. She migrated to the United States at 19 for her postgraduate studies, marking a significant turning point in her life.
4. Her first year in America was funded by her parents' retirement savings.
5. Without a phone line at home, communications with her parents involved the use of aerogrammes.
6. Met her future husband Donald J. Harris during a talk at the Afro-American Association at the University of California, Berkeley in 1962, leading to an unconventional marriage.
7. After a challenging financial situation, no family members could attend her wedding due to travel costs.
8. Actively engaged in research from 1963 and made important contributions in breast cancer studies.
9. Post her divorce in 1971, she raised her daughters independently, often taking them back to Chennai to visit family.
10. She was recognized by the Breast Cancer Action organization for her contributions and posthumously advocated for cancer research funding through her donations.
11. Pioneered research on progesterone receptors in breast cancer, transforming understanding of hormone-responsiveness in breast tissue.
12. Supported Breast Cancer Action as a donor from 2000 to 2007 and planned to volunteer before her death.
13. Requested that donations be made to Breast Cancer Action instead of flowers at her funeral.
14. Her daughter Kamala Harris carried her ashes to Chennai in 2009 and dispersed them in the Indian Ocean waters.
15. The Shyamala Gopalan Educational Foundation was established in her legacy to advance education, healthcare, sustainability, and community welfare across India.

Shyamala Gopalan Biomedical Scientist, Associate Professor American Madras, Madras Province, British India