Wen-Hsiung Li
Encyclopedia
Wen-Hsiung Li is a Taiwanese American scientist working in the fields of molecular evolution
, population genetics
, and genomics
. He is currently the James Watson
Professor of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago
and a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Information Science and Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica
, Taiwan
.
. In 1972 he received his Ph.D in applied mathematics/genetics at the Brown University
in Providence
, Rhode Island
. From 1972 to 1973 he was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin Madison (genetics), working with James F. Crow
. In 1973 he moved to the University of Texas, where he was appointed as a professor in 1984. Since 1998 he has been a Professor at The University of Chicago.
(i.e. rates and patterns of DNA
sequence evolution) and on the patterns and consequences of gene duplication
.
In 2003, he received the international Balzan Prize
for his contribution to genetics
and evolutionary biology, and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
, who cited his role in "establishing theoretical foundations for molecular phylogenetics and evolutionary genomics"http://www.nasonline.org/site/Dir/784251124?pg=vprof&mbr=1003931&returl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasonline.org%2Fsite%2FDir%2F784251124%3Fpg%3Dsrch%26view%3Dbasic&retmk=search_again_link. He is author of first texts in the field of molecular evolution
, Molecular Evolution and Fundamentals of Molecular Evolution (co-authored with Dan Graur
), and an author on more than 200 peer-reviewed publications.
Molecular evolution
Molecular evolution is in part a process of evolution at the scale of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Molecular evolution emerged as a scientific field in the 1960s as researchers from molecular biology, evolutionary biology and population genetics sought to understand recent discoveries on the structure...
, population genetics
Population genetics
Population genetics is the study of allele frequency distribution and change under the influence of the four main evolutionary processes: natural selection, genetic drift, mutation and gene flow. It also takes into account the factors of recombination, population subdivision and population...
, and genomics
Genomics
Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis,...
. He is currently the James Watson
James D. Watson
James Dewey Watson is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist, best known as one of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA in 1953 with Francis Crick...
Professor of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Information Science and Genomics Research Center, 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...
, 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...
.
Biography
Li was born 1942 in Taiwan. In 1968 he received a M.S. in geophysics from National Central UniversityNational Central University
National Central University is a national comprehensive university in Taiwan .National Central University was founded in 1915 and originated in 258 CE at Nanjing, China. After NCU in Nanjing was renamed Nanjing University in 1949, NCU was re-established in Taiwan in 1962...
. In 1972 he received his Ph.D in applied mathematics/genetics at the Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. From 1972 to 1973 he was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin Madison (genetics), working with James F. Crow
James F. Crow
James F. Crow is Professor Emeritus of Genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.Some of his most significant peer-reviewed contributions were coauthored with Motoo Kimura. His major contribution to the field, however, is arguably his teaching...
. In 1973 he moved to the University of Texas, where he was appointed as a professor in 1984. Since 1998 he has been a Professor at The University of Chicago.
Scientific contributions
He is best known for his studies on the molecular clockMolecular clock
The molecular clock is a technique in molecular evolution that uses fossil constraints and rates of molecular change to deduce the time in geologic history when two species or other taxa diverged. It is used to estimate the time of occurrence of events called speciation or radiation...
(i.e. rates and patterns of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
sequence evolution) and on the patterns and consequences of gene duplication
Gene duplication
Gene duplication is any duplication of a region of DNA that contains a gene; it may occur as an error in homologous recombination, a retrotransposition event, or duplication of an entire chromosome.The second copy of the gene is often free from selective pressure — that is, mutations of it have no...
.
In 2003, he received the international Balzan Prize
Balzan Prize
The International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
for his contribution to genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
and evolutionary biology, and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, who cited his role in "establishing theoretical foundations for molecular phylogenetics and evolutionary genomics"http://www.nasonline.org/site/Dir/784251124?pg=vprof&mbr=1003931&returl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasonline.org%2Fsite%2FDir%2F784251124%3Fpg%3Dsrch%26view%3Dbasic&retmk=search_again_link. He is author of first texts in the field of molecular evolution
Molecular evolution
Molecular evolution is in part a process of evolution at the scale of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Molecular evolution emerged as a scientific field in the 1960s as researchers from molecular biology, evolutionary biology and population genetics sought to understand recent discoveries on the structure...
, Molecular Evolution and Fundamentals of Molecular Evolution (co-authored with Dan Graur
Dan Graur
Dan Graur is an American scientist working in the fields of molecular evolution. He is currently the John and Rebecca Moores Professor at the University of Houston. He is coauthor along with Wen-Hsiung Li of Fundamentals of Molecular Evolution.-Biography:...
), and an author on more than 200 peer-reviewed publications.
Honors
- Academia Sinica Taiwan, 1998
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1999
- President of the “Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution”, 2000
- National Academy of Sciences, 2003
- Balzan prizeBalzan PrizeThe International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man.-Rewards and assets:Each year the...
2003 for genetics and evolution (The third recipient, following Sewall WrightSewall WrightSewall Green Wright was an American geneticist known for his influential work on evolutionary theory and also for his work on path analysis. With R. A. Fisher and J.B.S. Haldane, he was a founder of theoretical population genetics. He is the discoverer of the inbreeding coefficient and of...
(1984) and John Maynard SmithJohn Maynard SmithJohn Maynard Smith,His surname was Maynard Smith, not Smith, nor was it hyphenated. F.R.S. was a British theoretical evolutionary biologist and geneticist. Originally an aeronautical engineer during the Second World War, he took a second degree in genetics under the well-known biologist J.B.S....
(1991)). - Inaugural HUGO/ "Chen Award" for Achievement in Human Genetic and Genomic Research, 2008