# Gertrude B. Elion

_American biochemist and pharmacologist (1918–1999)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/gertrude-b-elion
Last updated: 2026-10-07

> Gertrude "Trudy" Belle Elion was an American biochemist and pharmacologist, who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with George H. Hitchings and Sir James Black 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. Her work led to the creation of the anti-retroviral drug AZT, which was the first drug widely used against AIDS. Her well known works also include the development of the first immunosuppressive drug, azathioprine, used to fight rejection in organ transplants, and the first successful antiviral drug, acyclovir (ACV), used in the treatment of herpes infection.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 23 January 1918 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P569))
- **Place of birth:** New York City ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P19))
- **Died:** 21 February 1999 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P570))
- **Place of death:** Chapel Hill ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P27))
- **Occupation:** biochemist; pharmacologist; pharmacist; university teacher ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P106))
- **Education:** Hunter College; New York University; New York University Tandon School of Engineering; Walton High School; Jamaica High School ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P69))
- **Awards:** Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; National Women's Hall of Fame; National Medal of Science; Garvan–Olin Medal; National Inventors Hall of Fame; Lemelson–MIT Prize; Women in Technology Hall of Fame; Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Foreign Member of the Royal Society; North Carolina Award for Science ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703#P166))

## Questions

**When was Gertrude B. Elion born?**  
Gertrude B. Elion was born on 23 January 1918 in New York City.

**Where did Gertrude B. Elion study?**  
Gertrude B. Elion was educated at Hunter College, New York University, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Walton High School.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Gertrude B. Elion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_B._Elion) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q35703](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35703) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Gertrude Elion.jpg by GlaxoSmithKline plc (CC BY 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gertrude_Elion.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Gertrude B. Elion, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Gertrude Elion.jpg — GlaxoSmithKline plc, CC BY 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Gertrude B. Elion". DigiNepal. Last updated 7 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/gertrude-b-elion. Retrieved 5 November 2026.