Percy Lavon Julian

chemist · medicine · plants · African American scientist

Made medicines from plants. Percy Julian discovered how to take natural substances from plants and transform them into helpful medicines in the laboratory. His work meant doctors could make important drugs more easily and affordably.

Invented birth control pills. His research on plant sterols led to the creation of hormones that could be made in factories, which became the foundation for birth control pills that have helped millions of women.

Pioneer in synthesis. Percy was the first person ever to synthesize physostigmine, a medicine made from a plant, and he figured out how to make hormones like testosterone and progesterone from simple plant materials.

Large-scale production. He didn't just make tiny amounts in a test tube, he figured out how to manufacture these medicines in huge quantities so hospitals and pharmacies could get them affordably for patients.

Foundation for cortisone. His innovations in steroid chemistry helped scientists create cortisone and similar drugs that treat inflammation, arthritis, and many other serious conditions that affect people worldwide.