Minute Measures.

Critical to any scientific research is the ability to measure. Various measuring methods have been used in biochemistry over the years — some crude, some sophisticated. Most assay systems for materials in the body have limited use because they require a greater quantity of what is to be measured than is available. The body can spare only small amounts of hormones and other biological molecules for testing purposes.

The Researchers.

Rosalind Yalow and Solomon Berson were well prepared as a research team to tackle the problem of measurement testing. Yalow had a Ph.D. in physics and expertise in radioactive materials. Berson was a physician and researcher. Together they developed the radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique, which has been applied not only in medical science but also in a wide range of fields.

The Procedure.

The concept of RIA is simple, but it requires some...