Pharmaceutical science · China · 1930–
Tu Youyou Life & Career Timeline
Ancient medical texts, careful extraction and a treatment that changed malaria survival.
18 MomentsGet your own timeline now — free
19301944195819721986200020142026
TYTu YouyouPharmaceutical science · China
← Drag, scroll or swipe through the timeline →
About this timeline
About Tu Youyou
Tu Youyou combined traditional Chinese medical knowledge with modern experimental methods to discover artemisinin and develop a transformative antimalarial therapy.
Page updated
Choose any Moment on the timeline to read its story, see why it matters and continue to the original source. Connected Moments open the other person’s timeline.
This public timeline is created and maintained by Memmie Editorial Team.
Tu Youyou biography
Tu Youyou timeline: key events
Explore 18 documented Moments in chronological order. Read the dates, locations and source references below. Where available, additional context explains why a milestone matters.
Born in Ningbo
Tu Youyou was born as the only daughter in a family that strongly valued education.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgContracts tuberculosis
A two-year interruption to schooling influenced Tu’s decision to pursue medical research.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgStudies pharmacy
Tu entered the Department of Pharmacy at Peking University Medical School.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgJoins Chinese medicine academy
After graduation she began a lifelong career at the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgFirst pharmacognosy publication
Tu co-authored research on the medicinal plant Lobelia chinensis.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgTraditional medicine training
A full-time course connected Tu’s modern pharmaceutical education with traditional Chinese practice.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgProject 523 begins
A national programme sought treatments for drug-resistant malaria.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgLeads Project 523 research group
Tu was appointed to search traditional medicines for new antimalarial compounds.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgCompiles 640 prescriptions
Her team reviewed more than two thousand recipes and circulated a focused collection.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgLow-temperature qinghao extract succeeds
A method inspired by an ancient text produced an extract with complete activity in animal tests.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgVolunteers for safety testing
Tu and colleagues took the extract themselves before patient trials.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgFirst clinical trial
Twenty-one malaria patients recovered and parasites disappeared after qinghao treatment.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgProject 523 results reported
Successful clinical evidence redirected wider antimalarial research toward qinghao.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgDihydroartemisinin developed
Tu’s group produced a derivative with improved activity.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgArtemisinin structure published
Collaborating institutes established the molecule’s chemical and stereoscopic structure.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgPresents to international organisations
Tu presented artemisinin findings at a WHO, World Bank and UNDP meeting.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgLasker Award
The Lasker-DeBakey Award brought major international recognition to Tu’s discovery.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgNobel Prize in Medicine
Tu received half the prize for discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria.
Source: www.nobelprize.orgThis educational timeline is not endorsed by or affiliated with Tu Youyou or their representatives. Event text is original editorial copy based on the linked sources.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · Licence shown on source file
Schools, fan clubs & cultural organisations
Help maintain this public story.
Bring knowledge, archives and a community together around a carefully sourced timeline.
Quick answers
About the Tu Youyou timeline
Who is Tu Youyou?
Tu Youyou combined traditional Chinese medical knowledge with modern experimental methods to discover artemisinin and develop a transformative antimalarial therapy.
How many moments are included?
This public timeline currently contains 18 sourced moments spanning 1930–.
Who maintains this timeline?
This public timeline is created and maintained by Memmie Editorial Team. Schools, clubs and cultural organisations can apply to become timeline partners.
Your life deserves its own story.
Bring your photographs, videos and most important Moments together in one beautiful timeline.
Start your own life story now — free