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Flossie Wong-Staal, Ph.D.

BIRTHDAY: 1947

ABOUT HER
Flossie Wong-Staal was born in China. No woman in her family had ever worked outside the home or been interested in science. In spite of this, Flossie Wong-Staal in high school became increasingly interested in biology. To attend college she emigrated to the United States to major in molecular biology at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Upon earning her Ph.D. Dr. Wong-Staal took a research position at the National Cancer Institute. There she co-discovered how to clone the HIV virus that is the precursor to AIDS. This discovery allowed Dr. Wong-Staal to map out the virus's structure, as well as allowed others to create the HIV screening test.

Now at the University of California at San Diego, Flossie Wong-Staal has continued researching AIDS. In 1990 she was selected by the Institute for Scientific Information as the top woman scientist of the past decade and the fourth-ranking scientist of either gender under age 45.

AWARDS/HONORS

• Co-discoverer of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS
• Florence Riford Chair in AIDS Research at the University of California at San Diego

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Discover, December 1991, pp. 16-17
Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1992
San Diego Union-Tribune, November 11, 1992, p. C1
Sunday Newsday, November 17, 1991, pp. 4-5

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