Chi-Huey Wong
Encyclopedia
Chi-Huey Wong is a Taiwanese-born biochemist and professor of chemistry and chemical biology at The Scripps Research Institute
in La Jolla, California
. His expertise is bioorganic chemistry
, especially in carbohydrate
biochemistry
and chemical proteomics
. He was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Science in 2002 and an academician
of Taiwan's Academia Sinica
in 1994.
Wong received his bachelor's and master's degrees in science from National Taiwan University
in Taipei
, Taiwan
. In 1982, Wong earned his Ph.D degree in Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, in the United States
, where he carried out research under the supervision of George M. Whitesides
. He continued on as a postdoctoral researcher in the same laboratory after Whitesides had relocated to Harvard University
. In 1983, he joined the faculty at Texas A&M University
, before moving to Scripps in 1989.
Research in the Wong lab encompasses a broad spectrum of bioorganic and synthetic chemistry. Development of small molecules targeting proteins and RNA has been performed to investigate how small molecules interact with biologically important molecules and in turn, learn more about the function of those molecules. Development of both synthetic and bioorganic strategies is also paramount to his research. Programmable one-pot reactions are being developed for the synthesis of complex oligosaccharides and glycoarrays and complement new chemo-enzymatic strategies for the assembly of glycoproteins and other biologically active molecules.
Since 2004, Wong became the founding director of The Genomics Research Center of Academia Sinica. He was later appointed by the President of the Republic of China to head Academia Sinica, the national academy of science in Taiwan. He took the office in October, 2006.
The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is an American medical research facility that focuses on research in the basic biomedical sciences. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, with a sister facility in Jupiter, Florida, the institute is home to 3,000 scientists, technicians, graduate students, and...
in La Jolla, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His expertise is bioorganic chemistry
Bioorganic chemistry
Bioorganic chemistry is a rapidly growing scientific discipline that combines organic chemistry and biochemistry. While biochemistry aims at understanding biological processes using chemistry, bioorganic chemistry attempts to expand organic-chemical researches toward biology...
, especially in carbohydrate
Carbohydrate
A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula ; that is, consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 . However, there are exceptions to this. One common example would be deoxyribose, a component of DNA, which has the empirical...
biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and chemical proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
. He was elected as a member of the United States National Academy of Science in 2002 and an academician
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
of Taiwan's Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica
The Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
in 1994.
Wong received his bachelor's and master's degrees in science from National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. In 1982, Wong earned his Ph.D degree in Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he carried out research under the supervision of George M. Whitesides
George M. Whitesides
George M. Whitesides is an American chemist and professor of chemistry at Harvard University. He is best known for his work in the areas of NMR spectroscopy, organometallic chemistry, molecular self-assembly, soft lithography, microfabrication, microfluidics, and nanotechnology...
. He continued on as a postdoctoral researcher in the same laboratory after Whitesides had relocated to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. In 1983, he joined the faculty at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, before moving to Scripps in 1989.
Research in the Wong lab encompasses a broad spectrum of bioorganic and synthetic chemistry. Development of small molecules targeting proteins and RNA has been performed to investigate how small molecules interact with biologically important molecules and in turn, learn more about the function of those molecules. Development of both synthetic and bioorganic strategies is also paramount to his research. Programmable one-pot reactions are being developed for the synthesis of complex oligosaccharides and glycoarrays and complement new chemo-enzymatic strategies for the assembly of glycoproteins and other biologically active molecules.
Since 2004, Wong became the founding director of The Genomics Research Center of Academia Sinica. He was later appointed by the President of the Republic of China to head Academia Sinica, the national academy of science in Taiwan. He took the office in October, 2006.