The K.-T. Wang Bioorganic Chemistry Foundation Lectureship for 2010 has been awarded to Professor Raymond Dwek for his outstanding contributions to the field of biochemistry. Professor Dwek gives two lectures at National Taiwan University and Academia Sinica on October 14 and 15, 2010, respectively. Dr. Michael Chang, Chairman of Optimer Pharmaceuticals will also give a special lecture on biotechnology following Professor Dwek’s second lecture on October 15. Members of the media and public are welcome to attend.

        Professor Raymond Dwek is Director of the Oxford Glycobiology Institute at Oxford University and a Fellow of the Royal Society, London. He is also an Institute Professor at the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla. He served as Head of the Department of Biochemistry at Oxford University from 2000 until 2006. He is also an Emeritus Fellow at Exeter College and an Honorary Fellow at Lincoln College of Oxford, and serves as a Director of United Therapeutics Corporation in the US.

        Professor Dwek is a pioneer in glycoscience research. His research team focuses on establishing and developing technology for analyzing glycosylation, and the roles of sugars attached to proteins. Based on these studies, Professor Dwek and his colleagues pioneered a successful drug for Gaucher’s disease, which has been in worldwide use for nearly nine years. Currently, Prof. Dwek’s antiviral group at Scripps is working with Nautilus United Therapeutics Corporation to develop a general, broad spectrum antiviral therapy based on the use of iminosugars. This therapy could transform anti-viral research, as it is effective against most viruses including hepatitis B and C, HIV, dengue and influenza.

        Dr. Michael Chang founded Pharmanex Biotechnology and Optimer Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (OPI) and currently serves as the chairman of OPI. In addition, Dr. Chang served as head of research and development at Merck and Rhône-Poulenc Rorer before joining Pharmanex. He holds 37 patents in the US and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed academic papers.

         The K.-T. Wang Bioorganic Chemistry Foundation awards lectureship to one world-renowned scholar each year. The foundation was established ten years ago by a group of Taiwanese scientists, including Academia Sinica President Emeritus Yuan-Tseh Lee and President Chi-Huey Wong in order to honor Dr. Kung-Tsung Wang, a pioneer in the field of bioorganic chemistry and also an Academician of Academia Sinica. At present Academia Sinica Vice President Andrew H.-J. Wang serves as the president of the foundation.

Event:  2010 K.-T. Wang Bioorganic Chemistry Lecture

Lecture 1
Title:   Glycobiology – Growing the Oxford Brand
Date:   Thursday, October 14, 2010 
Time:  14:00 - 15:30
Venue:       2nd Student Activity Center, International Conference Hall, National Taiwan University, No.1, Roosevelt Rd., Section 4, Taipei
Speaker:      Professor Raymond Dwek, Professor, Oxford University
Moderator:  Dr. Chi-Huey Wong, President, Academia Sinica

Lecture 2
Title:   The Glycan Shield of HIV – An Antiviral and Vaccine Target
Date:   Friday, October 15, 2010
Time:   14:00 - 15:10
Venue:   Auditorium R103, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, No.128, Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
Speaker:    Professor Raymond Dwek, Professor, Oxford University
Moderator:  Dr. Andrew H.-J. Wang, Vice President, Academia Sinica

Lecture 3
Title:   Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc… An Odyssey
Date:   Friday, October 15, 2010
Time:   15:10 - 16:10
Place:   Auditorium R103, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, No.128, Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
Speaker:   Dr. Michael Chang, Chairman, Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Moderator:  Dr. Andrew H.-J. Wang, Vice President, Academia Sinica

Special Event: Questions and Answers Session
Date:   Friday October 15, 2010
Time:   16:30 - 17:30
Place:   Classroom R114, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, No.128, Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
Speaker:   Dr. Michael Chang, Chairman, Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Moderator:  Dr. Rita Chen, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica

Related Websites:
http://www.bc.sinica.edu.tw/WangFoun/