Zhizhen(chih-chen) Wang

Biography

1959-1964  Department of Biophysics, University of Science and Technology of China 1964-   Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China，Research Assistant, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor; 1979-1981  Deutsches Wollforschungsinstitut, Aachen, Germany，Alexander von Humboldt fellow; 1981-1982  NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA, Fogarty Fellow; 1987-1988  City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, USA, Visiting Scientist; 1988-1991  Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, USA, Visiting Scientist; 1991-1993  Dept. of Biochemistry, Alberta University, Edmonton, Canada, Research Associate; 1995, 5-8  Abteilung Klinische Biochemie, Georg-August-Universit?t, G?ttingen, Germany，Visiting Scientist; 1998, 2-4  Dept. of Biochemistry, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Visiting Professor 1995-2001  Chinese delegate to the Federation of Asia and Oceania for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; 2001    Elected into the membership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (MCAS) 2005    Elected into the membership of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). The Third World Academy of Sciences Prize in Basic Sciences, Biology; The Science and Technology Advancement Award of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation; The National Natural Science Award twice; The Academy Natural Science Award three times; Award for Outstanding Mentor in the Chinese Academy of Sciences three times; “Top 10 Women Elite in China”. 1959-1964  Department of Biophysics, University of Science and Technology of China 1964-   Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China，Research Assistant, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor; 1979-1981  Deutsches Wollforschungsinstitut, Aachen, Germany，Alexander von Humboldt fellow; 1981-1982  NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA, Fogarty Fellow; 1987-1988  City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, USA, Visiting Scientist; 1988-1991  Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, USA, Visiting Scientist; 1991-1993  Dept. of Biochemistry, Alberta University, Edmonton, Canada, Research Associate; 1995, 5-8  Abteilung Klinische Biochemie, Georg-August-Universit?t, G?ttingen, Germany，Visiting Scientist; 1998, 2-4  Dept. of Biochemistry, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Visiting Professor 1995-2001  Chinese delegate to the Federation of Asia and Oceania for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; 2001    Elected into the membership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (MCAS) 2005    Elected into the membership of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). The Third World Academy of Sciences Prize in Basic Sciences, Biology; The Science and Technology Advancement Award of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation; The National Natural Science Award twice; The Academy Natural Science Award three times; Award for Outstanding Mentor in the Chinese Academy of Sciences three times; “Top 10 Women Elite in China”.

Research Interest

Our group has been studying protein folding during past decades, particularly focusing on molecular chaperones and foldases. We proposed the hypothesis that “protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is both an enzyme and a chaperone”. Then we systematically characterized the novel chaperone activity of protein disulfide isomerase and demonstrated the cooperative function of isomerase and chaperone activities in the folding of disulfide-containing proteins. Recently we are working on the mechanisms of oxidative protein folding and the roles of molecular chaperones in protein quality control.