March is Women's History Month, and our choice to celebrate is an exceptional Italian woman who had deep ties with the United States and international influence. Neurologist Rita Levi-Montalcini overcame Fascist racial laws to continue her research, including in St. Louis after WWII, and was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1986 for discovery of the nerve growth factor (NGF), seen in the rapid growth of cancer cells. Her work has also contributed to studies of senile dementia.