The New York University Libraries, WoW (Women on Women), and the Department of Chemistry are delighted to invite you to a special event on:

October 11, 2005

A celebration and discussion of The Life and Legacy of Nobel Laureate Gertrude Belle Elion

With honored guests:
Mary Ann Bella: Documentary filmmaker "The Legacy of Gertrude Elion, Inventor of Medicines", President Bella International Productions, Inc.
Marty St. Clair: Virologist and co-inventor of AZT, the world's first HIV medicine Head, Clinical Virology, GlaxoSmithKline

Hosted by:
Tamar Schlick: Mathematician and computational biologist, NYU Professor in Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science
Carol A. Mandel: NYU Dean of Division of Libraries

Tuesday, October 11, 2005
4:00-5:30 p.m Presentation and Discussion with guests 4-5:30 p.m.
5:30-6:00 p.m. Reception
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, 3rd Floor
70 Washington Square South

Join Mary Ann Bella, Marty St. Clair, and Tamar Schlick for a discussion of the inspiring life of Gertrude (Trudy) Belle Elion, a pioneering researcher whose work led to a host of novel effective drugs. Elion received the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for creating a way to "invent," not "discover" new medicines. Today the concept is called "designer drugs."

A native New Yorker and NYU graduate in Chemistry, Dr. Elion persevered for seven years before breaking through gender barriers that prevented women from entering scientific research. Her revolutionary medicines led to a cure for childhood leukemia, prevented organ transplant rejection, and gave the world its first effective treatment for gout and the firstsafe antiviral medicine. Her successes opened entire new fields of scientific research and benefited millions of patients around the world. The presentation will include selections from the documentary "The Legacy of Gertrude Elion, Inventor of Medicines."