Cathy H. Wu facts for kids

Cathy H. Wu is a very important scientist. She uses computers to study biology. She is a professor and director at the Center for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (CBCB) at the University of Delaware. She also leads the Protein Information Resource (PIR). This resource helps scientists learn about proteins.

Early Life and Schooling

Cathy H. Wu grew up with four sisters and one brother. She was a very bright student. She loved science, logic, and solving problems with computers. Her father was an aeronautics engineer, someone who designs airplanes.

She earned her first degree in Plant Pathology in 1978. This was from National Taiwan University. She then moved to the United States. She got her master's degree and PhD from Purdue University. This was in the early 1980s.

Later, she studied Molecular Biology at Michigan State University. She also earned a master's degree in Computer Science. This was from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1989.

Cathy Wu's Career Journey

In 1989, Cathy Wu finished her important research. She studied how to use special computer programs. These programs could sort and understand proteins. Her professor at the University of Texas at Tyler hired her.

She taught computer science there from 1989 to 1994. She also worked as a professor at the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. There, she did research in bioinformatics. This field uses computers to study biological information.

Since 1990, she has created many systems. These systems help classify proteins. She also managed big computer projects. These projects helped lead the Protein Information Resource (PIR). She became the director of PIR in 2001.

From 2001, she has been a professor at Georgetown University Medical Center. She teaches Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is also a professor in the Department of Oncology. This means she studies cancer. She is part of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In 2009, she became a special professor at the University of Delaware. She focuses on bioinformatics and computational biology there.

Recognitions and Awards

Cathy H. Wu has received important awards for her work.

• 2020 - Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM): This is a very high honor. It means she is recognized as a top expert in computer science.

She has also led many research projects. These projects received funding from groups like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). This funding helps scientists do important research.

Books and Research Papers

Cathy H. Wu has written and edited several books. These books help other scientists. They explain how to use computers to study biology.

Books She Has Written

• Bioinformatics for Comparative Proteomics (2010): This book helps scientists compare proteins using computer tools.
• Computational Biology and Genome Informatics (2003): This book is about using computers to study genes and biological information.
• Neural Networks and Genome Informatics (2000): This book explores how computer systems, like artificial intelligence, can be used to understand genetic information.

Key Publications

She has also published many research papers. These papers share new discoveries with other scientists. One important paper is about UniProt. UniProt is a big online resource. It stores lots of information about proteins.