Wang Jian (geneticist)
Wang Jian | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 13, 1954 China |
| Occupation(s) | Geneticist, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Co-founder and Chairman of BGI Genomics |
Wang Jian (; born 13 April 1954) is a prominent Chinese geneticist and entrepreneur, serving as Chairman and co-founder of BGI Genomics, previously known as Beijing Genomics Institute.
Education
Wang completed his undergraduate studies at Hunan Medical College in 1979 and obtained a Master's degree in Integrated Medicines from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in 1986. From 1988 to 1994, he conducted research as a fellow at the University of Texas, University of Iowa, and University of Washington, specializing in the mechanisms of cell proliferation and differentiation.
Career
After returning to China in 1994, Wang established Jubilee Biotechnology, which provided the foundational funding for the creation of Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) in 1999. He co-founded BGI alongside Yang Huanming, Liu Siqi, and Yu Jun with the goal of contributing to the Human Genome Project. Wang was instrumental in sequencing the rice genome, developing the first Asian human reference genome, and leading several expansive genomics initiatives. His involvement in sequencing and controlling the SARS coronavirus outbreak in 2003 earned him commendation from former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Hu Jintao.
In 2007, BGI moved its headquarters to Shenzhen and transformed into a citizen-managed non-profit research organization. As the principal shareholder of BGI’s parent company, Wang’s wealth was valued at approximately US$1.2 billion by Forbes in 2019. In January 2020, he spearheaded efforts in Wuhan to coordinate the creation of COVID-19 diagnostic tests and successfully established an emergency detection laboratory within just five days.
Wang prioritizes health and longevity as fundamental objectives for BGI. He is also recognized for his rigorous fitness endeavors, including ascending Mount Everest. His adventurous spirit has led him to expeditions at both the North and South Poles. Notably, in late 2021, he embarked on a 53-day expedition collecting biological samples from the Challenger Deep, Earth's deepest location. His dives in the manned submersible Fendouzhe surpassed depths of 10,000 meters, making him one of a rare few to have reached both the planet’s highest peak and its lowest oceanic trench.