Rita Harradence | |
|---|---|
 Rita Harradence at the University of Sydney | |
| Born | 16 September 1915 |
| Died | 6 November 2012 (aged 97) |
| Resting place | Clayton Wood Natural Burial Ground |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Lady Cornforth |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney (BSc (Hons) 1936, MSc 1937) Somerville College, Oxford (DPhil, 1941) |
| Spouse | John Cornforth |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | National Institute for Medical Research Milstead Laboratory of Chemical Enzymology |
| Thesis | Synthesis of cyclic ketones related to the sex hormones (1941) |
| Doctoral advisor | Robert Robinson |
Rita Harriet Harradence, Lady Cornforth (16 September 1915 − 6 November 2012) was an Australian biochemist who pioneered the synthesis of penicillamine and steroids, and the stereochemistry of molecules involved in the biosynthesis of cholesterol.