To Patent A Molecule
Part of Dr. Hahn’s PhD study was published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), a prestigious multidisciplinary journal covering the biological, physical, and social sciences. Dr. Hahn, in collaboration with Professor David Wallach and Professor Zelig Eshhar of the Weizmann institute, had invented a novel molecule, an antibody more precisely, that could be incorporated into the manufacturing of medications used to treat autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease. Once patented, the molecule was approved by the FDA and subsequently used in the manufacturing of the first medications produced to help Crohn’s sufferers. The medication is still being used today. Today seventy-three years old, Dr. Hahn looks back and says, “The financial benefits were nice. But much nicer is the knowledge that millions of people are benefiting from the molecule.”
Cut No Corners
Given her mother’s insistence on independence, it comes as no surprise to hear that Dr. Hahn always refused to ask for help. She made the effort to do things alone, even when it meant climbing on tables to reach into the cupboards of her lab.
Applying for permission to conduct her research at the Weizmann Institute, Dr. Hahn turned to Professor Levine for a letter of recommendation. “He was effusive with his praise for my work and added that, I could do almost anything on my own,” she recalls. “I was furious. ‘Name one thing that I can’t do on my own,’” Dr. Hahn challenged him. Professor Levine rewrote his letter. “Now that I’m older, however,” she says, “I’m much more self-confident, and I don’t mind asking for help. I even allow myself to use a pillow for support since most chairs are too deep for me!”
Building A Family
When Oleg Hahn first introduced Talia to his parents, they were as taken by her sense of humor and love of adventure as he was. Their enthusiasm wavered, however, when he announced his plans to marry her. Oleg, however, wasn’t going to be dissuaded. “My husband loved how I was always cracking jokes,” Dr. Hahn says, pinpointing the spark that started a life-long commitment. “Although I’d always been a sad child, coming to Israel changed that,” says Dr. Hahn. “By coming here, I was living my dream. I met wonderful people who made me feel good about myself, so I was able to open up and thrive.”
Times Have Changed
When Dr. Hahn was expecting her daughter, Dina, she became aware of the unpleasantness that physically-challenged individuals sometimes have to face when undergoing routine examinations. “Sometimes I used a stool to climb onto the chair, at others, the doctor simply picked me up,” she recalls. Both scenarios were demeaning and Dr. Hahn was determined to change the situation – she wanted a clinic that would be accessible to challenged patients and would be equipped to treat them. Months of campaigning culminated with a speech at the Knesset in front of committees from the Health Department and health clinics, and health insurance officials. “How many of you challenged people are there anyway?” one of the representatives of the health clinics asked Dr. Hahn. Her reply was immediate: “We’re challenged precisely thanks to people like you who don’t want us making any trouble,” she shot back. As a result, suitable clinics were opened in Beersheva and the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak.
Commenting on the public’s growing acceptance of challenged individuals, Dr. Hahn says, “Little by little, things are changing. People, especially children, are being better educated to accept those who are different. Usually, a mother will try to hush her child when he stares or points at me. Then I’ll suggest that she should rather explain that the difference between us is simply one of size – he’ll grow taller, but I won’t.” As a young child, Dina, Dr. Hahn’s daughter, was somewhat self-conscious of the fact that her mother was different. When she was four years old, she left the house in search of a new mommy, but came hurrying back when her father went to find her. Dr. Hahn’s four grandchildren have had a much easier time accepting that some people are different and that’s just how it is. “Perhaps, in part, it’s because their grandmother is a famous researcher,” she says with a laugh, but then turns serious. “It’s all about education,” she says, pointing out that her hometown, Mazkeret Batya, has been a trailblazer in raising public awareness. “Recently I was invited to speak at my granddaughter’s school as part of a town-wide campaign.”
