Youyou Tu

Youyou Tu (b. 1930) is a Chinese chemist, known especially for her work in discovering the antimalarial drug artemisinin, a mainstay in ongoing antimalarial efforts. Born and raised in the city of Ningbo, she completed her scientific training at the Beijing Medical College, following which she studied traditional Chinese medicine before working as a researcher at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where she now holds the position of Chief Scientist. Tu is the first woman from China to be recognized as a Nobel laureate.