Tu Youyou

A comprehensive biography of Tu Youyou — from her early life in China to the discovery of artemisinin, her scientific struggles, honors like the Nobel Prize, and her enduring influence on medicine worldwide.

Introduction

Tu Youyou (born December 30, 1930) is a Chinese pharmaceutical chemist and malariologist whose pioneering work led to the discovery of artemisinin, a revolutionary antimalarial drug. Her breakthrough has saved millions of lives, especially in tropical regions. Despite many obstacles, she combined traditional Chinese medicine knowledge with rigorous scientific methods to deliver one of the most important contributions to modern medicine.

She is the first mainland Chinese scientist to receive a Nobel Prize in a scientific category and the first woman from the People’s Republic of China to win a Nobel.

Early Life and Education

Tu Youyou was born on December 30, 1930, in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China.

As a youth, she attended Xiaoshi Middle School, then transferred to Ningbo Middle School. Her education was interrupted by a tuberculosis infection in her teenage years, which sidelined her studies temporarily but is said to have influenced her drive toward medical research.

From 1951 to 1955, Tu studied at Beijing Medical College / Peking University (Pharmacy / Medical School), majoring in pharmaceutical science.

After graduation, she began working at the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, under what became the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (then Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine).

She also underwent training in traditional Chinese medicine practices, processing herbal medicines, and combining Western and Chinese medical approaches.

Scientific Career & Discovery of Artemisinin

The Challenge of Malaria & Project 523

By the 1960s and 70s, malaria — particularly chloroquine-resistant strains — was a grave problem in parts of China and in Southeast Asia, including in North Vietnam, which asked China for help during the war.

In 1967, the Chinese government launched a top secret national research initiative known as Project 523 (named after May 23) to find new antimalarial treatments. Tu Youyou was selected to lead one research group within this larger project.

Tu and her team reviewed a vast number of herbal recipes from Chinese medical texts and compiled references to hundreds of formulations historically used for intermittent fevers (a malaria symptom).

They screened thousands of herb extracts and compounds. After many failed trials, attention fell upon Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood, called qinghao in Chinese).

A critical insight was that high heat destroyed the active antimalarial compound. Drawing from ancient herbal instructions, Tu adopted a gentler, low-temperature extraction method (e.g. soaking, cold extraction) to preserve the active agent.

By 1972, Tu and her colleagues isolated and identified the active compound, naming it qinghaosu (later called artemisinin).

They also derived dihydroartemisinin, a more potent and stable form, and conducted pharmacological studies.

Self-Experimentation & Human Trials

In order to ensure safety before broad human testing, Tu Youyou volunteered to be one of the first subjects — testing the compound on herself when doses were small and carefully controlled.

Subsequent human trials in patients with malaria showed strong efficacy, prompting the adoption of artemisinin-based therapies.

However, because Project 523 was partly military and conducted during turbulent political times, much of the early work was not widely published or credited publicly until later.

Tu’s work bridged herbal tradition and modern pharmacology — validating a traditional remedy with scientific rigor.

Recognition, Awards & Later Career

For decades, Tu worked largely within China and did not gain widespread international fame.

Major recognitions include:

• Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award in 2011.

• Warren Alpert Foundation Prize in 2015.

• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015 (shared) “for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria.”

• Highest Science and Technology Award, China, 2016.

• Medal of the Republic, China, 2019 — one of China's highest honors.

She has held positions at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, often as chief scientist in the artemisinin research center.

Tu Youyou is known as a “Three-Without Scientist” in China — meaning: without postgraduate degrees, without foreign study/research experience, and not a member of national science academies — yet achieving groundbreaking success.

Themes & Impact

Fusion of Tradition & Modern Science

Tu’s work is a remarkable example of integrating traditional herbal medicine with modern biochemical and pharmacological methods. She did not dismiss traditional texts; instead, she used them as starting points and subjected them to rigorous testing.

Her approach has inspired further research into combining ethnopharmacology and lab science, expanding the possibilities of drug discovery.

Perseverance Amid Adversity

Tu pursued her research during politically fraught times, including the Cultural Revolution in China, when intellectuals and scientists often faced persecution or disfavor.

Her husband was reportedly detained during this period, and she faced personal and institutional challenges.

Despite limited resources, lack of global recognition, and scientific hurdles, she remained steadfast and focused on saving lives.

Humility & Reluctance to Seek Fame

Tu has frequently expressed modesty, stating she “does not want fame,” focusing instead on the mission of discovery and public health.

She emphasized the importance of teamwork, collective effort, and efficiency in science, critiquing bureaucratic waste.

Global Health & Legacy

Artemisinin and derivatives remain front-line treatments for malaria, especially in areas where resistance to older drugs (like chloroquine) has emerged.

Her discovery has saved millions of lives worldwide, particularly in Africa, Southeast Asia, and tropical regions.

Her success has also elevated China’s role in global pharmaceutical science and shown that world-class science can emerge even without the advantages of Western institutions.

Notable Quotes

Here are a few quotations attributed to Tu Youyou that reflect her mindset:

“They held so many meetings, and there were so many competing centres … Nearly every province had their own research centre … that’s no way to do science. They wasted a lot of money and a lot of time.”

“Every scientist dreams of doing something that can help the world.”

“I do not want fame.”

“From our research experience in discovering artemisinin, we learned the strengths of both Chinese and Western medicine. There is great potential for future advances if these strengths can be fully integrated.”

“It is my dream that Chinese medicine will help us conquer life-threatening diseases worldwide and that people across the globe will enjoy its benefits for health promotion.”

Lessons & Inspirations

1. Great impact can come from humble beginnings
   Tu had no doctoral degree, no international training, yet her work became globally transformative.

2. Listen to tradition, but test rigorously
   Using traditional knowledge as clues, but applying modern scientific standards, can lead to breakthroughs.

3. Perseverance under adversity
   Working during political turmoil and limited resources, she remained focused on the end goal — human health.

4. Lead by example, not spotlight
   Her self-experimenting, humility, and reluctance for fame shows that meaningful work often speaks louder than publicity.

5. Interdisciplinary openness
   She bridged pharmacology, herbal medicine, chemistry, and biology — demonstrating that innovation often lies between disciplines.

6. Global responsibility in science
   Her work reminds us that scientific discovery isn’t merely academic — it has real consequences for human life and welfare.

Conclusion

Tu Youyou’s life and work are testaments to how curiosity, humility, and rigorous scientific spirit can overcome constraints and shape history. Her discovery of artemisinin reshaped the fight against malaria and has saved countless lives. She stands as a role model — not just in China, but globally — for scientists, women in STEM, and all who believe that dedication, integrity, and ingenuity can change the world.