Varvara Brilliant-Lerman was a well-known plant physiologist in Russia, whose main works were devoted to the physiology of photosynthesis. She took advantage of the increased ability of women to have careers in science due to the Bolshevik revolution in 1917, teaching at several institutions in Russia. Brilliant continued teaching and researching until her death in 1954.

Raissa Berg worked was an eminent geneticist until Soviet Russian policies forced her out of her job. Nevertheless, she continued her research at home, eventually discovering “correlative Pleiades” in plants, and later contributed significantly to the reestablishment of the scientific field of genetics in Russia during her brief reinstatement. After emigrating to the United States, Berg remained active until her death in 2006.