HomeDate: 2025-05-06
Academician Sunney I. Chan passed away in Taipei on May 5, 2025, at the age of 89.
A world-renowned leader in biochemistry and biophysics, Dr. Chan was a pioneer in the application of innovative spectroscopic and biophysical techniques to study membrane proteins—particularly membrane-bound metalloenzymes—uncovering the structure, function, and behavior of these essential molecular machines. His original and far-reaching contributions also extended to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of “vertical” base-stacking forces in nucleic acids, methane oxidation, and protein folding.
Born in the United States, Dr. Chan received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and spent four decades on the faculty of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. In 1997, he returned to Taiwan at the invitation of then-President Yuan-Tseh Lee, serving as Director of the Institute of Chemistry, multiple terms as Member of the Academia Sinica Council, and as Vice President of Academia Sinica from 1999 to 2003. During his tenure, he founded the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP), which opened new pathways for top international students to conduct research in Taiwan and cultivated new generations of scientific talent. He played a critical role in the development of Academia Sinica's academic governance and administrative foundation.
Dr. Chan was also instrumental in initiating the Genomics Research Center and Taiwan’s National Genomic Medicine Program, laying a strong foundation for Taiwan’s progress in biotechnology and translational medicine. In recognition of his contributions, Academia Sinica established the “Sunney Chan Lecture” series in 2003 to honor his passion for science and education, as well as his dedicated public service.
In 2021, Dr. Chan received the Presidential Science Prize in recognition of his long-standing dedication to advancing scientific research, his groundbreaking innovations, and his selfless mentorship of younger generations. His international accolades include the Biophysical Society’s Biophysics CBNet Award, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s William C. Rose Award, and fellowships or memberships in the International Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Physical Society, the Indian Chemical Society (Honorary Fellow), and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Dr. Chan was elected Academia Sinica Academician in 1988.
