Honor the past while celebrating the present: Tu Youyou and the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

This article aims to highlight the major milestones in the life of a medical scientist, pharmaceutical chemist, and educator Tu Youyou who, without a doctoral degree, a top position at a research institution and background of studying or researching abroad, made a breakthrough in world medicine. Turning to the treasury of Chinese wisdom – traditional Chinese medicine, she, together with her group, created an antimalarial drug that saved the lives of millions of people. Keywords: 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Artemisia annua, artemisinin, dihydroartemisinin, Ge Hong, malaria, Tu Youyou