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Gertrude Elion Photo sourced from

Top 10 Best Facts about Gertrude Belle Elion

Gertrude “Trudy” Belle Elion famously known for her nickname Trudy, born on 23rd January 1918,was an American biochemist and pharmacologist, who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with George H. Hitchings and Sir James Black. 

They won the Noble Prize for their use of innovative methods of rational drug design for the development of new drugs. This new method focused on understanding the target of the drug rather than simply using trial-and-error.Let’s take a look at some of the best facts about her;

1.Elion was born in New York City to immigrant parents 

Elion was born in New York City on January 23, 1918, to immigrant parents, Robert Elion who was Lithuanian Jewish immigrant and worked as a dentist. He moved to the US when he was 12 and received his higher education in New York City and graduated in 1914 from the New York University School of Dentistry.

Her mother Bertha Cohen on the other hand was a Polish Jewish immigrant who moved to the US aged 14 and was only 19 when she was married to Robert Elion.The family however,  lost their wealth after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and they had to move from Manhattan to a small house in the Bronx. 

2.She was inspired to pursue science and medicine by the death of her grandfather

Gertrude Elion while working Photo sourced from

She was inspired to pursue science and medicine by the death of her grandfather who died when she was 15 and being by his bedside during his last moments made Elion want to pursue medicine and science at large.She joined Hunter College, where she was able to attend for free due to her grades, graduating summa cum laude in 1937 with a degree in chemistry.

Unable to find a paying research job after graduating because she was female, Elion worked as a secretary and high school teacher before working in an unpaid position at a chemistry lab. Eventually, she saved up enough money to attend New York University and she earned her M.Sc. in 1941, while working as a high school teacher during the day. 

Read more about her in 10 Famous Female Doctors That Made an Impact

3.Elion also had many jobs in her career 

Elion had many jobs in her career and did so to support herself and put herself through school. These jobs include; working for the National Cancer Institute, American Association for Cancer Research, and World Health Organization, among other organizations. From 1967 to 1983, she was also the Head of the Department of Experimental Therapy for Burroughs Wellcome. 

She also worked in the Duke University as Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and of Experimental Medicine from 1971 to 1983 and Research Professor from 1983 to 1999. During her time at Duke, she focused on mentoring medical and graduate students. She published more than 25 papers with the students she mentored at Duke.

4.Elion was a life time advocate for global health and cancer 

Gertrude Elion while working Photo sourced from

She was an advocate for Global Health & Cancer for the next 16 years of her life before her demise.  Gertrude Belle Elion assumed the status of scientist emeritus and remained highly active in her field and the campaign to advocate for Global health and fight against cancer. 

She was an advisor to the World Health Organization and the American Association for Cancer Research, providing her expertise to both organizations in order to help further their missions of improving global health and advancing cancer research.

5.Elion’s research contributed to the developments of several treatments and medicines

Elion’s research contributed to the developments of several treatments and medicines including; Mercaptopurine (Purinethol), the first treatment for leukemia, also used in organ transplantation, Azathioprine (Imuran), the first immuno-suppressive agent, used for organ transplants.

Others include; Allopurinol (Zyloprim), for gout, Pyrimethamine (Daraprim), for malaria, Trimethoprim (Proloprim, Monoprim, others), for meningitis, sepsis, and bacterial infections of the urinary and respiratory tracts, Acyclovir (Zovirax), for viral herpes and Nelarabine for cancer treatment. 

6.Elion received several awards in her career

Elion received several awards in her career including some of the biggest awards. These include; the Garvan-Olin Medal (1968), the Sloan-Kettering Institute Judd Award (1983), the American Chemical Society Distinguished Chemist Award (1985), the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award (1989). 

She also received several other awards I’m the medical industry including; the American Association for Cancer Research Cain Award (1985), the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor (1990), the National Medal of Science (1991), and the Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award (1997).

7.Elion was a Nobel Prize winner and was inducted into the hall of fame

Nobel Prize winner Hitchings and Elion Photo sourced from

Elion received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, together with Hitchings and Sir James Black for discoveries of “important new principles of drug treatment”. Elion was the fifth female Nobel laureate in Medicine and the ninth in science in general, and one of only a handful of laureates without a doctoral degree. She was the only woman honored with a Nobel Prize that year.

She was also the first woman to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame also in 1991. In 1992, she was elected to the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame. She was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (ForMemRS) in 1995.

Read more about the Nobel Prize here 

8.Elion never completed her PhD even though she accomplished a lot 

Elion who had a master’s degree from New York University, started a a PhD program at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute while she was working with Hitchings. She however could not finish the doctorate because she realized she could not continue with the degree while a part time student because it needed her to be a full time student. 

She decided to quit continuing her educations of the likeness she had in her work and decided to focus on research. She could however later receive honorary doctorates from George Washington University, Brown University, and the University of Michigan for her contributions to science.

9.Elion was never married or had children but was once in love with fellow student

Elion was never married or had children, but her brother, whom she was close with, married and had two sons and a daughter that she took pride in being able to watch grow. She listed her hobbies as photography, travel, opera and ballet, and listening to music

She was however once in love with fellow student Leonard Canter who was an outstanding statistics student ay college of New York (CCNY). The two love birds planned to marry but it never materialized because he died of bacterial endocarditis, which is an infection of heart valves. 

10.She died of a cerebral hemorrhage aged 81 on 21st February 1999

Elion died on 21st February 1999 of a cerebral hemorrhage at a hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C., where she lived most of her life. She had retired in 1983 from Burroughs Wellcome and opted to spend more time traveling and attending the opera.

She however continued to make important scientific contributions after her retirement.She also took into passion encouraging other women to pursue a career in science, which made her a role model to many women and young girls more so those with a passion in science.