Gertrude B. Elion

Gertrude B. Elion (English: Gertrude Belle Elion, January 23, 1918 - February 21, 1999) was an American female biochemist and pharmacologist. In 1988, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, together with George H. Hitchens and James W. Braque, for their innovative approach to rational drug design in drug development. This new approach focuses on understanding the target of action of the drug, rather than relying solely on trial and error. Elion developed many new drugs, and the use of this new research method led to the development of zidovudine, a drug that later treated AIDS.