Xiaowei Zhuang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Xiaowei Zhuang
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| 庄小威 | |
| Born | January 21, 1972 |
| Education | Suzhou High School University of Science and Technology of China University of California, Berkeley |
| Known for | Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) |
| Awards | MacArthur Fellows Program(2003) ACS Award in Pure Chemistry(2007) Max Delbruck Prize(2010) Sackler Prize(2011) NAS Award in Molecular Biology(2015) Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences(2019) Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science(2020) Heinrich Wieland Prize(2022) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biophysics |
| Institutions | Harvard University Howard Hughes Medical Institute |
| Doctoral students | Melike Lakadamyali |
Xiaowei Zhuang (simplified Chinese: 庄小威; traditional Chinese: 莊小威; pinyin: Zhuāng Xiǎowēi; born in January 1972) is a Chinese-American biophysicist. She is a professor at Harvard University and a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She is famous for creating a special type of microscope called Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM). This microscope helps scientists see tiny things inside living cells much more clearly than regular microscopes.
In 2019, she received the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. This award recognized her work in developing super-resolution imaging. Her techniques allow scientists to look closely at very small structures within cells.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Xiaowei Zhuang's parents, Zhuang Lixian and Zhu Renzhi, were both professors. They taught at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).
Xiaowei Zhuang earned her first degree in physics from USTC in 1991. She then went on to get her Ph.D. in physics in 1996. This was from the University of California, Berkeley.
After her Ph.D., she worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University until 2001. In 2001, she joined Harvard University as a faculty member. She became a full professor there in 2006. In 2005, she also became a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Amazing Discoveries with Microscopy
Xiaowei Zhuang's lab created STORM. This is a powerful new way to see tiny things. It uses special light to make very clear images of molecules.
Her team showed how STORM could create 3D images. This means they could see structures in cells from all angles. They also found special dyes that glow brightly. These dyes helped make STORM images even better.
Using STORM, Zhuang and her team have studied many living things. They looked at tiny single-celled organisms. They also studied complex parts of the brain. These studies led to exciting new discoveries. For example, they found new structures in nerve cells. These discoveries help us understand how cells work.
Her lab also invented a method called MERFISH. This stands for multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization. MERFISH allows scientists to see and count many different types of RNA inside single cells. RNA is like a messenger that carries instructions in cells. This helps researchers understand what cells are doing.
They also developed ways to track single viruses. This helps scientists learn how viruses interact with cells.
Awards and Recognition
Xiaowei Zhuang has received many important awards for her work. These awards recognize her amazing contributions to science.
Some of her notable awards include:
- 2022: Heinrich Wieland Prize
- 2021: Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences
- 2020: Vilcek Foundation Prize in Biomedical Science
- 2019: Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
- 2019: NAS Award for Scientific Discovery
- 2018: Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics
- 2015: NAS Award in Molecular Biology
- 2012: Member of the National Academy of Sciences
- 2003: MacArthur Fellows Program
See also
In Spanish: Xiaowei Zhuang para niños
