She Invented That A digital museum of women in science

Scientist Exhibit

Tu Youyou

Chemistry • Medicine & Health

1930 – Present China

Discovered artemisinin as an effective treatment for malaria

Overview Institutions
Tu Youyou

Overview

About Tu Youyou

Tu Youyou led research that drew on historical Chinese medical texts to search for new antimalarial treatments. Her team isolated artemisinin from sweet wormwood and developed extraction methods that preserved its activity. Artemisinin-based therapies became essential in treating malaria and have saved millions of lives.

Scientific Contribution

Key Discovery

Artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin for malaria

Discovery and development of artemisinin-based antimalarial treatments.

Life Timeline

Important Moments

1969

career

Joins Project 523 malaria research

Tu Youyou was appointed to lead work searching traditional Chinese medical knowledge for new antimalarial treatments.

1971

discovery

Develops a low-temperature Artemisia extraction method

Inspired by an ancient preparation method, Tu developed a low-temperature ether extraction that produced consistently potent antimalarial activity.

1972

discovery

Isolates the active antimalarial compound artemisinin

Tu's research group isolated the active substance from Artemisia annua that became known as artemisinin.

2015

award

Receives the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Tu shared the 2015 Nobel Prize for discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria.

Places & Networks

Institutions