Maud Leonora Menten (20 March 1879–26 July 1960) was a Canadian physician, pathologist and biochemistry researcher for almost 50 years .^[1][2] Holding three degrees from the University of Toronto (BA 1904, MB 1907, and MD 1911) and a PhD from the University of Chicago (1916),^[3] Menten established an impressive record of accomplishments in biochemical and medical research in Canada, the United States and Europe. Most notably, Menten is recognized for the study of a hypothesis of enzyme kinetics under the auspices of Professor Lenore Michaelis^[4] with development of a mathematical equation now known as the Michaelis-Menten equation.^[5] It is this seminal research that changed the history of chemical and biological reactions. Menten was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 1998.^[6]

Born in Port Lambton, Ontario, Canada on March 20, 1879, Menten, her younger brother, Robert Clarence, and in 1890 her parents, Emma and William moved to Harrison River (later called Harrison Mills) in British Columbia.^[7] Her mother operated a general store and boarding house, and her father ran the post office and captained the riverboat service along the Fraser River^[8]. Between 1889 and 1892, Menten and her brother were home schooled by their mother, then later attended a new school built on Fairfield Island, which was situated near Chilliwack. In order to reach the school, the children were transported across the Fraser River by canoe paddled by a First Nations man named George. Once they reached the other side, the children completed their travel to school by pony.^[9]

Following completion of studies at Fairfield Island School and later, graduation at Chilliwack Secondary School in 1897, Menten was hired to teach at Camp River School from 1897-1900, where she was paid a salary of $50 per month.^[10]

Menten’s career trajectory was impressive, with completion of a number of degrees as well as training and laboratory experience. Her post-secondary education was first concentrated in studies at the University of Toronto, where Menten first earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1904 and Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.) in 1907. Menten worked as a demonstrator in physiology in the newly established biochemistry laboratory of Professor Archibald Macallum,^[12] where she produced her first publication.^[13]

Given the barriers existing for women to secure opportunities to work, especially in science in Canada,^[14][15] Menten relocated to the United States, where she spent some time at the Rockefeller Center. Menten attained positions as a pathology scholar, first with the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (1907-1908) and then as an intern at the New York Infirmary for Women and Children (1908-1909). Menten continued her research studies as  a Research Fellow at Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (1909-1911).^[16] Menten subsequently returned to Canada in 1911, where she was endowed with a Doctorate in Medicine (M.D.).

In 1912, Menten traveled to Berlin to work with Professor Leonor Michaelis at the Hospital am Urban.^[17] It is during this time (1912-1913) that her laboratory research with Professor Michaelis established the seminal work of mathematically defining a model of the action of an enzyme with a substrate, which was described in the seminal paper published in Biochemische Zeitschrift in 1913^[18] and translated into English in 2011^[19] and 2013.^[20] Termed later as the Michaelis-Menten equation^[21] this formative work laid the foundational principles of biochemistry and future advances in industry, cell biology and medicine.

Menten spent considerable time in the United States, where upon her return from Germany in 1913, she worked at Western Reserve University studying the effects of hydrogen ions in blood.^[22] Menten enrolled at the University of Chicago where she was awarded a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1916  for her dissertation titled “The Alkalinity of the Blood in Malignancy and Other Pathological Conditions; Together with Observations on the Relation of the Alkalinity of the Blood to Barometric Pressure”.^[23] Menten continued a distinguished career spanning 32 years with the University of Pittsburgh, where she first joined the Elizabeth Steel Magee Hospital in 1916 and then in 1918 worked as a pathology instructor and demonstrator in the Department of Pathology. Menten was appointed as assistant professor in 1923 and in 1925^[24] or 1926^[25] was promoted to associate professor. It was not until one year before her retirement in 1950 that Menten was finally provided with tenure as a full professor in 1949 at the age of 70.^[26]

Retirement in the United States did not deter Menten from working. She subsequently returned to Canada where she undertook cancer research studies at the British Columbia Medical Research Institute in Vancouver as a research fellow from 1951-1954.^[27]

Due to poor health, Menten resigned her position at the British Columbia Medical Research Institute in 1954 and moved to Leamington, Ontario. Menten passed away on July 26, 1960 at the age of 81. Her ashes were returned to her family in Chilliwack, British Columbia and placed in the family plot at the Little Mountain Cemetery.^[28]

Menten was a woman who possessed many talents in medical and scientific research. In addition to the ground-breaking work with Leonor Michalis in 1913, Menten contributed to many other advances in research. She developed techniques using dyes to detect alkaline phosphate in histological tissues^[29] and the separation of proteins using electrophoresis.^[30] Her work examining bacterial toxins in animal models was used to immunize Pittsburgh individuals against scarlet fever and pneumonia.^[31] Menten authored or coauthored numerous publications such as abstracts, manuscripts, books and monographs.^[32]  

Menten was known at the University of Pittsburgh as a passionate and driven individual, who was “known for her 18-hour workdays, for delivering one-third of all pathology lectures as well as attending every lab session” ^[33] Yet she was accomplished in so many other areas, such as participating in an Arctic expedition, mountain climbing, oil painting, playing the clarinet, linguistics (proficient in Russian, German, French, Italian and Halkomelem, which was the dialect of First Nations peoples of the Pacific west coast. "'I've stirred them up, so now I can go'". ^[34][35]

The recognition of Menten’s contributions to science were ultimately bestowed after her death. Menten was recognized for her contributions by the installation of a plaque at the University of Toronto by the Ontario Heritage Foundation.^[36] The Canadian Institute of Health Research Institute of Genetics developed the Maud Menten New Principle Investigator Prize in Genetics, which provides funding opportunities for health and health systems^[37]. Other Canadian institutions, such as Western University^[38] provide annual memorial lecture series, where notable researchers are invited. The University of Pittsburgh has memorialised Menten with the establishment in 1988 of the Menten Professorship in Experimental Pathology and annual lectures.^[39] Menten was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 1998.^[40]

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