Pincus, Gregory Goodwin (1903–1967)

US biologist who, together with Min Chueh Chang (1908– ) and John Rock (1890–1984), developed the contraceptive pill in the 1950s.

As a result of studying the physiology of reproduction, Pincus conceived the idea of using synthetic hormones to mimic the condition of pregnancy in women. This effectively prevents impregnation.

Pincus was born in Woodbine, New Jersey, and studied at Cornell and Harvard. He joined the staff of Harvard 1930, and in 1944 cofounded the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. It was there he began his research on steroid hormones, which was encouraged by birth-control pioneer Margaret Sanger. The pill was first marketed 1960.