Born: 27 August 1947, China
Died: 8 July 2020
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Wong Yee Ching, 黄以静, Huáng Yǐjìng
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Meet Flossie Wong-Staal, an extraordinary Chinese-American virologist and molecular biologist whose pioneering work reshaped our understanding of HIV/AIDS. She was a trailblazer who made history by successfully cloning HIV and unveiling its genetic intricacies. This monumental achievement marked a significant leap forward in confirming HIV as the root cause of AIDS.
From 1990 to 2002, she held the prestigious Florence Riford Chair in AIDS Research at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) . Beyond academia, Wong-Staal co-founded Immusol and later took on the role of Chief Scientific Officer. As Immusol transformed into iTherX Pharmaceuticals in 2007, focusing on innovative drug development for hepatitis C, she continued to drive the company’s scientific endeavors.
Wong-Staal’s legacy continues to shine as an inspiration in the realms of virology and scientific leadership, forever impacting our fight against infectious diseases.
Read more (Wikipedia)
Read more (New York Times)
Read more (Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls)
Read more (Association of Women in Science)