jan 1, 1935 - Percy Julian

Description:

Percy Julian was an African American who was a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs such as cortisone, steroids and birth control pills. His research at academic and corporate institutions led to the chemical synthesis of drugs to treat glaucoma and arthritis. In 1935, he earned international acclaim by synthesizing physostigmine from the calabar bean to create a drug treatment for glaucoma. he discovered how to extract sterols from soybean oil and synthesize the hormones progesterone and testosterone.

Added to timeline:

Date: