Madison Reporter

Ann C. Palmenberg, a distinguished professor emerita of biochemistry and former director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, passed away on February 20 after a prolonged illness. She was 76 years old. Palmenberg was recognized globally for her contributions to virology and her advocacy for women and junior scientists.

Palmenberg's interest in science began early, influenced by her family background. Her mother was an elementary school teacher, and her father worked as an army engineer. Her great uncle, a chemist, had a lab in their home where she and her brother conducted experiments. A pivotal moment in her life was witnessing the administration of the polio vaccine at her school, which inspired her career path.

She stated in an autobiographical article published in the Annual Review of Virology: “At seven years old, I wanted to make vaccines and work for Lederle (Laboratories, an early producer of an oral polio vaccine).”

Palmenberg graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1970 and pursued graduate studies in biochemistry at UW–Madison, focusing on RNA virology and protein biochemistry. After earning her doctorate in 1975, she spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow in Zurich before returning to UW–Madison.

Upon returning to Madison, Palmenberg secured her first grant from the National Institutes of Health. Despite being a postdoctoral researcher at that time, she accepted the grant with a promotion to scientist due to eligibility constraints. She built her own lab over eight years before joining the faculty in 1987.

In 1997, Palmenberg became the director of the Institute for Molecular Virology as a full professor. Her research focused on picornaviruses' biochemistry and how human rhinoviruses contribute to asthma. She solved the atomic structure of a cold virus linked to severe asthma and respiratory infections in children.

Her pioneering work included describing methods for creating new live virus vaccines using recombinant complementary DNA and discovering viral internal ribosome entry sites crucial for pharmaceutical drug production.

Palmenberg also dedicated significant efforts toward organizing conferences for the American Society for Virology and mentoring junior faculty members by reviewing their grant applications and presentations.

In recognition of her contributions, she was elected President of the American Society for Virology in 2007 and received numerous awards throughout her career including those from UW–Madison and other prestigious institutions.

Despite being diagnosed with Stage 4 T-cell lymphoma in 2011, Palmenberg continued contributing to science until retiring in 2023. Reflecting on both science and life challenges she said: “Whether you just threw a third strike or a home-run mistake... Science is similar.”

The community is invited to share tributes at www.cressfuneralservice.com or contribute to funds established in her honor such as the Ann Palmenberg Professorship in Virology Fund.