Dr Tikvah Alper: a short history of her scientific career.

PURPOSE: This article can only skim the surface of an extraordinary career of Dr Alper from the early days in South Africa and throughout her life. CONCLUSIONS: She overcame many obstacles to become widely acknowledged as having had an immense effect on the study of radiation biology. Her very considerable personal scientific achievements in no way prevented her from taking time to help and inspire others in the field as well as maintaining a long and happy family life. If an example is needed to show what can be achieved with a combination of total intellectual integrity and determined application, then Tikvah Alper certainly provided this.