Scientific Contributions
Claudia Clinchard · Gertrude Belle Elion
What were the contribution(s) that this individual made to science and/or a related field?
Trudy had many accomplishments throughout her lifetime. She developed many medicines that
helped, and still helps, many people. One of them was 6-mercaptopurine, which is also called
Purinethol or 6-MP, which was created in 1950. When used with other drugs, 6-MP is used to
treat childhood leukemia. Later, in 1959, she developed Imuran, which allows organ transplants
to take place between two other people, making organ transplantation a lot easier and more
common still today. In 1977, Acyclovir or Zovirax was created in her lab, which was the first
medicine to treat a virus. Another example is when, in 1984, Trudy's lab uses her methodology
to create AZT, which was the only drug licensed to treat AIDS up until 1991. In addition to
these many accomplishments, she still had many more. In 1967, she became the first women to
lead a research group. This year she was named head of Department of Experimental Therapy at
Burroughs Wellcome. As if this was not a long enough list of great accomplishments, Trudy still
had many more. In 1988, she received the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine with George
Hitchings and James Black for developing a method for drug design and discoveries in the
principles of chemotherapy. Two years later, she was then elected to National Academy of
Sciences, and then a year later was awarded National Medal of Science, the highest science
honor in the United States. Also, she entered the Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca, New York
that same year. Clearly, Gertrude Belle Elion had many accomplishments.
Select one contribution and explain why this contribution was important.
Trudy had developed Imuran. This drug was used to make organ transplants between two
unrelated people possible. In 1961, doctors used Imuran to do the first successful kidney
transplant between two unrelated people. After that, many more followed. With this drug, organ
transplantation is possible today. Maybe someone would have figured it out by now, but maybe
people would still be dying for this exact reason today. This had made something that was
impossible, possible. She has saved many people because of this one drug. Definitely, this was
a very important accomplishment on her part.
Based on your findings would this Scientist’s work be easier or more difficult in a different
historical time or cultural setting? Please explain your response.
In my opinion, Trudy's work would have been much easier if it had taken place today. When
Trudy went to college, she had struggled to get the money. It was 1933, and during the Great
Depression, so it was super difficult to find a job. Fortunately, Hunter College had had free
tuition in 1933. Today, there are many more scholarships and financial aid options that could of
helped her. The whole reason they had no money, though, was because of the Great Depression,
and that is not as much of a problem any more. Obviously, Gertrude Elion's work would have
been much easier if she would have been alive in present day. Gertrude, though, might not stand
out as much anymore. First of all, there are many more women scientists today. Also, there are
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Printed October 2003
more and more drugs being developed for disease and other things, one example being AIDS.
So yes, it would have been easier, but no, she would not have stood out quite so much.
76.84.113.43: ts '2011-01-06 18:09:46'
Printed October 2003