Nepal, Feb. 9 -- Gertrude Belle Elion, a co-recipient of the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her groundbreaking work in drug design, including developing the first antiviral medication, was once denied paid research positions for being a woman. In her early career, Elion had to work as a secretary and high school teacher before taking an unpaid role in a chemistry lab. Despite facing gender bias and financial struggles, she pursued her passion for science and medicine.

Elion once said, "I hadn't been aware that doors were closed to me until I started knocking on them.. It was a shock [to hear] 'You're qualified, but we've never had a woman in the laboratory before, and we think you'd be a distracting influence.'"

Elion en...