Hou Yunde
侯云德
Hou Yunde at the Soviet Ivanovsky Institute of Virology in 1958
Born (1929-07-13) 13 July 1929
Wujin, Jiangsu, Republic of China
CitizenshipPeople's Republic of China
Alma materWuhan Medical School, Ivanovsky Institute of Virology
Awards2017 Highest Science and Technology Award
Scientific career
FieldsMedicine
Virology
Genetics
Genetic Engineering
InstitutionsVice-president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
Researcher at the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention
Director of the National Virus Biotechnology Engineering Center

Hou Yunde (Chinese: 侯云德; born 13 July 1929) is a Chinese virologist, geneticist and a genetic engineer. Considered to have laid the foundation for modern infectious disease prevention and control technology systems in China.[1]

Biography

Hou was born in 1929 in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.[2][3] From an early age, Hou decided to study medicine, after watching his elder brother die from infectious disease.[3]

In 1958, After graduating from the Wuhan Medical School he studied at the Ivanovsky Institute of Virology in the USSR for 4 years. During his time at the institute, the lab mice mysteriously died. Hou had discovered that they had contracted the Sendai virus.[4] Continuing his research, he discovered that the virus can evolve to affect Humans, and that Sendai virus could fuse monolayer cells.[3] Based on his studies he authored 17 medical papers and earned a kandidat nauk (PHD) degree in medical sciences.[2] It was the first time the institute had agreed to award this degree to a foreign student.[4]

Continuing his work in China, Hou researched the etiology of respiratory viral infections to identify and isolate main pathogens of respiratory diseases. He managed to isolate three types of parainfluenza viruses, type I, II and IV, which helped dealing with the disease epidemic outbreaks in Beijing during 1962–1964.[3]

he laid the foundation for China's molecular virus research and created the first Chinese genetically engineered drugs.[5] In late 1970s he established the first domestic clinical-grade human leukocyte interferon production,[6] which earned him the nickname "Father of Chinese Interferon".[7] From 1984 to 1997 he served as the head of planning expert committee on biotechnological field of Program 863.[8] After the restrictions on businesses were relaxed in the 90-s, Hou started one of the first Chinese genetic engineering drug companies.[9][10]

During the 2009 flu pandemic, Hou, while being over 80, led the Chinese response and prevention to the outbreak. While a vaccine was created, a question arose if one or two doses were required. Chinese companies could not support making the number of vaccines required for two doses and Hou was at the forefront arguing that one dose would be enough. At the end, the committee of experts founded to resolve the issue agreed with his decision.[4]

During his lifetime he authored more than 500 articles and books.[2]

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Profile: China's top science award winner Hou Yunde - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 DANG XIAOFEI (29 September 2019). "Hou Yunde: A Staunch Warrior Fighting Infectious Diseases". China daily. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Zhang Zhihao (9 January 2018). "Nation's greatest scientist receives top honor". China Daily Hong Kong. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Virologist, Gunpowder Expert Claim China's Top Science and Technology Award". Yicai Global. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "何梁何利基金". www.hlhl.org.cn. Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Xi presents awards to top scientists - The Nation". The Nation. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "侯云德：守在病毒火山口-新华网". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Explosives expert and virologist win top science award - SHINE". SHINE. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "Yunde Hou: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "What China's top science prizes reveal about the country's priorities". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  12. ↑ Zhang, Zhihao. "Nation's greatest scientist receives top honor - Chinadaily.com.cn". www.chinadaily.com.cn. China Daily. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 181829 Houyunde (1998 SY62)" (2019-05-11 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
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