Gertrude B. Elion, M.D., Ph.D., was a pioneer in the discovery of drugs for cancer, immunology, rheumatology, and other medical treatments. She was born in New York City on July 24, 1905. She received her early education in New York City public schools
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She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where she received a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a master's degree in biology and biochemistry. At Berkeley she also studied under the direction of Dr. Thomas Weller Elliott and Dr.
William B. Noyes. After obtaining her Ph.D., she did postdoctoral work at the Rockefeller Institute (now Rockefeller University) before coming to Harvard Medical School where she completed her training in medicine and surgeon-scientist under Professor George Geyelin and Dr.
Stanley Miller Rothschild. As one of America's premier women scientists, Dr. Elion received numerous honors throughout her illustrious career including the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research and the Lewis B.
Cullman Award from the National Academy of Sciences for her research on cancer and rheumatoid arthritis and the Gold Medal Award from the American College of Surgeons for her contributions to the field of surgery. Dr. Elion died on February 16, 1996 at the age of eighty-seven just five months before receiving Harvard's highest honor: an honorary degree from Harvard College (Doctor of Science) during Harvard's sesquicentennial celebration.