Born: 1946 (Guangzhou, China)
Biography:
Flossie Wong-Staal, born Wong Yee Ching on August 27, 1946, in Guangzhou, China, was a Chinese-American virologist and molecular biologist who made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of HIV and AIDS. Her pioneering work in cloning HIV and determining the function of its genes played a vital role in establishing HIV as the definitive cause of AIDS.
Wong-Staal’s family fled to Hong Kong in 1952 after the Communist revolution in China. Despite a lack of female role models in her family, her parents encouraged her academic pursuits. Wong-Staal attended Maryknoll Convent School in Hong Kong, where she displayed a remarkable aptitude for science. She received strong support and encouragement from her teachers, who recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue her studies in the United States.
In 1965, at the age of 18, Wong-Staal left Hong Kong to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There, she pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in bacteriology, which she completed in just three years with cum laude honors. Wong-Staal’s academic journey continued at UCLA, where she earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology in 1972. Following her doctoral studies, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), under the guidance of renowned virologist Dr. Robert Gallo.
In 1973, Wong-Staal moved to Bethesda, Maryland, to join the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and work alongside Dr. Robert Gallo. It was at the NCI where Wong-Staal made her groundbreaking discovery. In 1975, she became the first scientist to successfully clone HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. She also conducted genetic mapping of the virus, which laid the foundation for the development of HIV tests. Wong-Staal’s work was instrumental in understanding the structure and function of the virus, ultimately leading to more effective diagnosis and treatment strategies.
Throughout her career, Wong-Staal continued to make significant contributions to virology and AIDS research. In the late 1970s, she and Dr. Gallo conducted pioneering research on the human retrovirus known as human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) and established its role as the causative agent of human adult T cell leukemia.
Wong-Staal’s expertise and groundbreaking research led to numerous academic and scientific achievements. From 1990 to 2002, she held the distinguished Florence Riford Chair in AIDS Research at UCSD. Her work at UCSD made her a leading authority in HIV/AIDS research. Following her retirement from UCSD, Wong-Staal became the Chief Scientific Officer of Immusol, which later became iTherX Pharmaceuticals in 2007. In this role, she focused on drug development for hepatitis C.
Flossie Wong-Staal’s contributions to virology and HIV/AIDS research have had a lasting impact on medicine and society. Her pioneering work in cloning HIV not only confirmed the virus as the cause of AIDS but also paved the way for advancements in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. She was a trailblazer in her field and a source of inspiration for future generations of scientists.
Awards:
– Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1989)
– Women in Science Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Academy of Sciences (1994)
– National Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee (2000)
– Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2006)