Academia Sinica was saddened to hear that Academician Ray Wu passed away after a heart surgery on Feb. 10, 2008 in the USA. He was a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology at Cornell University.

Academician Wu’s development of the first method for determining the nucleotide sequence of DNA was of particular importance. To make sequence analysis possible, he designed a novel location-specific primer-extension strategy in 1970, and determined the complete sequence of the two cohesive ends of lambda phage DNA in 1971. Prof. Wu’s primer-extension strategy was later replica rm 35-01 adopted by F. Sanger (1973 to 1977) in developing a much faster method for sequencing DNA; Sanger’s work was recognized by a Nobel Prize.

 In Academician Wu’s late years, his research focus was to produce transgenic rice plants transformed with agronomically useful genes that would increase tolerance to drought and high salinity. And he had succeeded in transforming intact rice cells and regenerated many fertile transgenic rice plants.

Academician Wu was elected to be an Academician at Academia Sinica, R.O.C. in 1982, a Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2001, and a Fellow of the AAAS in 2003. In the same year, Prof. Wu was elected Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in Molecular Biology. He also received the Outstanding Faculty Award at Cornell University in 2005.

Memorial Services:

1. Message Board of Academician Ray Wu：http://hi.baidu.com/pkuwurui

2. Life Celebration:

Date: June 15, 2008

Venue: Kendal at Ithaca, 2230 N. Triphammer Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA

TEL: 800-253-6325

Related website: www.kai.kendal.org

3. Memorial Symposium:

Date: October 3~4, 2008

Venue: Cornell University, New York, USA

Info Resource: Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America, SCBA