Percy julian (born april 11, 1899, montgomery, alabama, u. s. —died april 19, 1975, waukegan, illinois) was an american chemist, known for his synthesis of cortisone, hormones, and other products from soybeans. A steroid chemist and an entrepreneur, percy julian ingeniously figured out how to synthesize important medicinal compounds from abundant plant sources, making them more affordable to mass produce. In the 1930s chemists recognized the structural similarity of a large group of natural substances—the steroids. 20 feb 2016 · percy lavon julian was an african american research chemist and a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants. Percy lavon julian synthesized physostigmine for treatment of glaucoma and cortisone for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
In a lifetime of continual striving, percy l. 11 apr 2014 · african american chemist percy julian was a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs such as cortisone, steroids and birth control pills. Percy lavon julian was a trailblazing synthetic chemist, a successful industrial research director, and a wealthy businessman, notwithstanding the prejudices and discrimination of his time. He was born in montgomery, al, on april 11, 1899, the son of a railway clerk and the grandson of slaves.
