Fulton said Dr. Mahler’s contributions ranged from early studies that characterized the genetic material of microorganisms to studies that employed techniques of genetic engineering, such as DNA cloning, as they became available.
“Inga preferred laboratory research to other tasks and never sought an independent position,’’ Fulton said. “Yet in each lab where she worked, she provided leadership that helped that lab thrive during her years there. She mentored many students and befriended and helped hundreds of colleagues.’’
He added that “any time Inga was in the lab, she certainly made it shine. While never herself seeking fame, she contributed greatly to the fame of Brandeis University.’’
In 1961, Dr. Mahler was the first woman to receive a doctorate in biology at Brandeis, Fulton said.
As a research fellow and then as a senior scientist, she “played a significant role in the life sciences at Brandeis for over half a century,’’ Fulton said. “Inga was a grand and cultured woman with an amazingly versatile mind, direct and outspoken, but invariably polite, who always showed great kindness to others. She also loved life, including fast cars and reading great numbers of books, especially mysteries.’’
During her three-year illness, she remained completely involved and was as voracious a reader as ever, said her cousin Bart Menitove of Boston.
“Inga saw the world from the view of a scientist,’’ he said “She was both brilliant and compassionate and touched the lives of many. Fifty years ago, women were rare in the scientific community where Inga had such an important role.’’
Fulton said that while Dr. Mahler was working in his laboratory in the 1960s, she “became the first person to isolate and characterize the DNA of the amoeba-flagellate protozoan Naegleria.
In those days, this was a major challenge because then-standard methods of isolating DNA did not work with organisms like Naegleria.’’
In her research, Dr. Mahler studied problems of bacteria and DNA repair and the then-new techniques of genetic engineering.
