President Chi-Huey Wong received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from City University of Hong Kong November 10. He was given the honor during the University's Congregation in Hong Kong.

Dr. Wong received the award "for his pioneering work to safeguard and improve human health." "His cutting edge contributions to research have shown how chemistry can be used to modify enzymes, to increase or decrease enzymatic function, and create better biologically active compounds," the citation said. "The work of his research groups has had major implications for improving human health by producing safer and more effective substances of biomedical importance."

Dr. Wong is a prominent chemist. He is globally recognized for his pioneering work on the development of chemical and enzymatic methods enabling elucidation of carbohydrate-mediated biological recognition process, particularly demonstrating their significance in drug discovery.

This June, Dr. Wong's latest research on "molecular vaccines" was published in the academic journal Proceedings of the National Academies (PNAS). The research hints at the future potential of a "universal vaccine" that could be used for H5N1 and H1N1influenza, hepatitis C and some types of cancer. His research team found a way to increase the strength of a vaccine by decreasing the number of sugar molecules on the surface of the invading virus.

In addition to Dr. Wong, a further four distinctive leaders of science, law and social science were awarded honorary degrees at the Congregation.

Dr. Wong has been recognized with many awards over his career. He is the American Chemical Society Arthur. C. Cope Scholar Award in 1993, the Roy Whistler Award of International Carbohydrate Organization in 1994, the Chinese American Chemical Society Distinguished Research Achievement Award in 1994, the Taiwanese American Foundation Prize in Science and Engineering in 1997, the American Chemical Society Harrison Howe Award in Chemistry in 1998, the American Chemical Society Claude S. Hudson Award in Carbohydrate Chemistry in 1999, the International Enzyme Engineering Award in 1999,  American Chemical Society Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry in 2005, and the Humboldt Research Award for Senior Scientists in 2006. Last year he received the F. A. Cotton Medal for Excellence in Chemical Research.

President Wong has also held a variety of advisory roles both in Taiwan and overseas. He was the consultant for Mitsubishi Chemical Group Science and Technology Research Center in Japan from 2005 to 2006, a board member of the National Research Council on Chemical Science and Technology in the US from 2000 to 2004, scientific advisor for Max-Planck-Institut in Dortmund, Germany from 2000 to 2008, and the chairman of executive board of editors for Tetrahedron Publications from 2007 to 2008.

Following the award ceremony, President Wong will stay in Hong Kong to deliver keynote speeches on the challenges and opportunities from post-translational glycosylation at the City University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong on November 11.