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Scientists
Percy Julian
1899–1975
Pioneer in chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants.
📖Biography
Percy Lavon Julian was an American research chemist and a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants. He was the first to synthesize the natural product physostigmine, and a pioneer in the industrial synthesis of cortisone and steroids.
Key Achievements
1
First to synthesize physostigmine
2
Pioneered industrial synthesis of cortisone
3
Held over 130 chemical patents
4
Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Legacy & Impact
Julian's chemical syntheses made treatments for glaucoma, arthritis, and other conditions affordable and widely available.