What is gertrude belle elion famous for?

Gertrude Belle Elion (January 23, 1918 – February 21, 1999) was an American biochemist and pharmacologist who, with George Hitchings, shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for their discoveries of important principles for drug treatment." The principles she developed formed the basis for the treatment of leukemia, gout, malaria, herpes, and viral herpes.

At the time she received her Nobel Prize, she was the fifth woman and the first Jewish-American woman to win the Nobel Prize.

Elion's contributions to science include:

- The development of azathioprine, the first immunosuppressive drug, used to prevent the body from rejecting transplanted organs and to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

- The development of mercaptopurine, a drug used to treat leukemia.

- The development of allopurinol, a drug used to treat gout.

- The development of acyclovir, a drug used to treat herpes simplex and herpes zoster.

Elion was also a pioneer in the field of drug design, and her work led to the development of new drugs for the treatment of a variety of diseases. She was a prolific researcher and published over 250 scientific papers and patents.

In addition to her scientific achievements, Elion was also a gifted teacher and mentor. She was a professor of pharmacology at Duke University Medical School for over 30 years, and she taught and inspired many students who went on to become leaders in the field of medicine.

Elion was a visionary scientist and a pioneer in the field of drug discovery. Her work has had a profound impact on the treatment of a wide range of diseases, and she has left a lasting legacy in the field of medicine.