Wang Is Awarded Shaw Prize

Xiaodong Wang, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and George L. MacGregor Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, has been awarded the $1 million Shaw Prize in Life Science & Medicine.

The award recognizes Wang's discovery of the biochemical basis of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. He discovered several proteins that play a key role in apoptosis, including cytochrome c. His research could lead not only to treatments for cancer but also to therapies targeting the abnormal cells in neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The Shaw Prizes consist of three annual awards, the Prize in Astronomy, the Prize in Life Science & Medicine, and the Prize in Mathematical Sciences; they honor individuals who have achieved significant breakthroughs in academic and scientific research or application and whose work has resulted in a positive and profound impact on humankind.