Flossie Wong-Staal
Personal Information
Born: 1946
Died: 2020
Country of Birth: China
Nationality: Chinese/American
Ethnicity: Asian
Education
UCLA Bs & PhD Bacteriology 1972; Post doctural studies at UCSD
Professional Life
Field of Study: Virology
Institution/Corporation: UCSD; iTherX; NIH
Degrees & Memberships: Member: Institute of Medicine of the US National Academies (1994) Academia Sinica Taiwan (1994)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2002, named 1 of 50 Most Extraordinary Women Scientists, Discover Magazine; 2007, #32 of the Top 100 Living Geniuses, The Daily Telegraph; 2019, National women's Hall of fame; 2023, Research.com Microbiology in US Leader Award
Achievements: co-founder of Immusol (now iTherX Pharmaceuticals); late 1970s researched human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) & determined it was the causative agent in human adult T cell leukemia; 1990 started the Center for AIDS Research at UCSD; at iTherX switched focus to Hepatitis C drug research
Was born Wong Yee Ching
1st scientist to clone & genetically map HIV & determine the function of its genes
Held 45 patents
Co-founder & later CSO of Immusol, later renamed iTherX Pharmaceuticals, a drug developing company focused on Hepatitis C
Her parents were supportive of her academic pursuits; her father renamed her Flossie after a massive typhoon that had struck Southeast Asia
Left Hong Kong at age 18 to continue her education in the US
Late 1970s with Dr. Robert Gallo determined human T cell leukemia Virus (HTLV) was the causative agent in human adult T cell leukemia
1990, started Center for AIDS Research at UCSD & continued research on HIV/Aids