Innovation on ancient Chinese medicine: China’s Tu Youyou 'not very' surprised at Nobel Prize win
First Chinese national to win the award in medicine dedicates it to country's scientists and emphasises teamwork following criticisms
China’s joint Nobel Prize winner for medicine Tu Youyou, who has been recognised for her work on a drug used to treat malaria, said she was “surprised, but not very surprised” by her award and claimed it was an honour for all scientists in China.
The scientist earned half of the award for her work on artemisinin, a drug based on ancient Chinese herbal medicine, which had significantly reduced the mortality rates of malaria patients, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said on Monday.
This is an honour not only for myself, but also for all Chinese scientists. We all did decades of research together
“I don’t have special feelings [about winning the award],” said Tu, 84, who is the first Chinese national to win a Nobel Prize in science.
“I was a little bit surprised, but not very surprised,” she was quoted as saying by Zhejiang Evening News.
“Because this is an honour not only for myself, but also for all Chinese scientists. We all did decades of research together."
Tu has been a controversial figure in mainland science and was criticised by some Chinese scientists for not crediting her team.