Tu Youyou
Encyclopedia
Tu Youyou is a Chinese
medical scientist, pharmaceutical chemist
, and educator. She was awarded the 2011 Lasker Award
in Clinical Medicine for discovering artemisinin
(also known as Qinghaosu), used to treat malaria
.
, Zhejiang Province, China
on 30 December 1930. When she was a high school student, she become interested in both traditional Chinese medicine
and modern western medicine.
In 1951, Tu matriculated at Peking University
School of Medicine (In 1952, the Medical School became independent Beijing Medical College, which was renamed as Beijing Medical University in 1985. On 3 April 2000, Beijing Medical University was merged with Peking University and now it is Peking University Health Science Center
). Tu studied at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and graduated in 1955. Later Tu was trained for two and a half years in traditional Chinese medicine.
Tu worked at the Academy of Chinese Medicine (now named as China Academy of Chinese Medical Research) in Beijing
after graduation. Tu was promoted to tenured researcher in 1980 (as graduate tutor), and in 2001 promoted to academic adviser for doctorate candidates. Currently she is the Chief Scientist in the Academy.
lour, a traditional Chinese medicine, for curing Schistosomiasis
, which was widely spread in the first half of the 20th century
in Southern China.
Tu started her malaria
research in China when the Great Cultural Revolution
was in progress. In early 1969, Tu was appointed head of the project, named Project 523 research group at her institute. She collected 2000 candidate recipes, ancient texts, and folk remedies for possible leads for her research. By 1971, her team had made 380 extracts from 200 herbs, and discovered the extracts from Qinghao (Artemisia annua L.
, or sweet wormwood) looked particularly promising in dramatically inhibiting parasite Plasmodia growth in animals. Tu found the way to extract it and her innovations boosted potency and slashed toxicity of this extract. In 1972, she and her colleagues obtained the pure substance and named it Qinghaosu (青蒿素) or artemisinin
now commonly called in the west, which has saved millions of lives, especially in the developing world. Tu also studied the chemical structure
and pharmacology of artemisinin.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
medical scientist, pharmaceutical chemist
Medicinal chemistry
Medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry are disciplines at the intersection of chemistry, especially synthetic organic chemistry, and pharmacology and various other biological specialties, where it is involved with design, chemical synthesis and development for market of pharmaceutical...
, and educator. She was awarded the 2011 Lasker Award
Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research
Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award is awarded by the Lasker Foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of disease. The award was renamed in 2008 in honor of Michael E. DeBakey...
in Clinical Medicine for discovering artemisinin
Artemisinin
Artemisinin , also known as Qinghaosu , and its derivatives are a group of drugs that possess the most rapid action of all current drugs against falciparum malaria. Treatments containing an artemisinin derivative are now standard treatment worldwide for falciparum malaria...
(also known as Qinghaosu), used to treat malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.
Biography
Tu was born in NingboNingbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...
, Zhejiang Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
on 30 December 1930. When she was a high school student, she become interested in both traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
and modern western medicine.
In 1951, Tu matriculated at Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
School of Medicine (In 1952, the Medical School became independent Beijing Medical College, which was renamed as Beijing Medical University in 1985. On 3 April 2000, Beijing Medical University was merged with Peking University and now it is Peking University Health Science Center
Peking University Health Science Center
Peking University Health Science Center is a respected medical school in China attached to Peking University, and is affiliated to 14 other hospitals in the Beijing Metropolitan Area. It enjoys a reputation as the best medical school in the country...
). Tu studied at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and graduated in 1955. Later Tu was trained for two and a half years in traditional Chinese medicine.
Tu worked at the Academy of Chinese Medicine (now named as China Academy of Chinese Medical Research) in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
after graduation. Tu was promoted to tenured researcher in 1980 (as graduate tutor), and in 2001 promoted to academic adviser for doctorate candidates. Currently she is the Chief Scientist in the Academy.
Schistosomiasis
During her early years, Tu studied Lobelia chinensisLobelia chinensis
Lobelia chinensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it has the name .-Chemical constituents:...
lour, a traditional Chinese medicine, for curing Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by several species of trematodes , a parasitic worm of the genus Schistosoma. Snails often act as an intermediary agent for the infectious diseases until a new human host is found...
, which was widely spread in the first half of the 20th century
20th century
Many people define the 20th century as running from January 1, 1901 to December 31, 2000, others would rather define it as beginning on January 1, 1900....
in Southern China.
Malaria
Tu started her malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
research in China when the Great Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
was in progress. In early 1969, Tu was appointed head of the project, named Project 523 research group at her institute. She collected 2000 candidate recipes, ancient texts, and folk remedies for possible leads for her research. By 1971, her team had made 380 extracts from 200 herbs, and discovered the extracts from Qinghao (Artemisia annua L.
Artemisia annua
Artemisia annua, also known as Sweet Wormwood, Sweet Annie, Sweet Sagewort or Annual Wormwood , is a common type of wormwood that is native to temperate Asia, but naturalized throughout the world.-Characteristics:...
, or sweet wormwood) looked particularly promising in dramatically inhibiting parasite Plasmodia growth in animals. Tu found the way to extract it and her innovations boosted potency and slashed toxicity of this extract. In 1972, she and her colleagues obtained the pure substance and named it Qinghaosu (青蒿素) or artemisinin
Artemisinin
Artemisinin , also known as Qinghaosu , and its derivatives are a group of drugs that possess the most rapid action of all current drugs against falciparum malaria. Treatments containing an artemisinin derivative are now standard treatment worldwide for falciparum malaria...
now commonly called in the west, which has saved millions of lives, especially in the developing world. Tu also studied the chemical structure
Chemical structure
A chemical structure includes molecular geometry, electronic structure and crystal structure of molecules. Molecular geometry refers to the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule and the chemical bonds that hold the atoms together. Molecular geometry can range from the very simple, such as...
and pharmacology of artemisinin.
Trivia
- Before 2011, Tu had been obscure for decades, and is described as "almost completely forgotten by people" by Wen Wei PoWen Wei PoWen Wei Po is a Hong Kong-based Chinese language newspaper, which was first established in Shanghai in January 1938; its Hong Kong version was launched on 9 September 1948....
in Hong Kong. - A 2007 interview shows Tu's living conditions are very poor. Her office is in an old apartment building in Dongcheng District, BeijingDongcheng District, BeijingDongcheng District is an urban district in Beijing covering the eastern half of Beijing's urban core. It is 24.7 square kilometres in area and has a population of 535,558 . Dongcheng District covers several important parts of Beijing...
, where it has heating shortage and only two electricity-consuming household appliances - a telephoneTelephoneThe telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
and a refrigeratorRefrigeratorA refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
, which is used by her to store herb samples. - Tu is regarded as the Professor of Three None's (no postgraduate degree, no study/research experience abroad, not a member of any Chinese national academies, i.e. Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesThe Chinese Academy of Sciences , formerly known as Academia Sinica, is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It is an institution of the State Council of China. It is headquartered in Beijing, with institutes all over the People's Republic of China...
and Chinese Academy of EngineeringChinese Academy of EngineeringThe Chinese Academy of Engineering is the national academy of the People's Republic of China for engineering. It was established in 1994 and is an institution of the State Council of China...
). Up until 1979, there were no postgraduate degree programs in China, and China was largely isolated from the rest of the world. Tu is now regarded as a representative figure of the first generation Chinese medical workers since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Awards
- September 2011, GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
Outstanding Achievement Award in Life Science - September 2011, Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical ResearchAlbert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical ResearchLasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award is awarded by the Lasker Foundation for the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of disease. The award was renamed in 2008 in honor of Michael E. DeBakey...