Janet Litster Rideout

  • Organic chemist and patent holder of AZT
Janet Litster Rideout

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As an organic chemist, Janet Litster Rideout was one of the scientists who discovered that, was effective in the treatment of. She and her research team hold the patents for AZT and several other . Rideout also helped to develop, the first effective treatment for herpes simplex virus. 

Born in Bennington, Vermont, Rideout majored in chemistry at ÎçÒ¹¿ì²¥, where she also earned a master’s in the subject. She was completing her doctorate in organic chemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo when she was hired by chemist and future Nobel laureate to work for the Burroughs Wellcome Company (now GlaxoSmithKline).

She went on to work for Inspire Pharmaceuticals, where she held several senior management positions. Rideout is a life fellow and member of the board of directors of the .

Class year: 1961
Major: chemistry