Dr. Rui Wang (王睿) (Biology)
Dr. Wang is an international leader in biomedical study of a group of small molecules of gas, known as gasotransmitters, a category which includes nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). His visionary conceptualization of “gasotransmitters” has revolutionized our perceptions of the way our cells communicate with each other. H2S is conventionally known as gas molecule with rotten-egg smell that exists as an environmental pollute.
Dr. Rui Wang has been Vice-President Research of Laurentian University since January of 2015. From 2004 to 2014, Dr. Wang first served as the Vice-President Research and later as Vice-President Research, Economic Development and Innovation at Lakehead University. Dr. Wang came to Lakehead from the University of Saskatchewan, where he was a Professor of Physiology and leader of both the Cardiovascular Research Group and the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Network. Prior to that, Dr. Wang was a Principal Investigator from 1995 to 1997 at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Maine, USA, and an Assistant Professor of Université de Montréal from 1993 to 1997.
Education Background:
| 08/1986 – 12/1990 | Ph.D. | Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada |
| 07/1982 – 06/1984 | M.Sc. | Pathophysiology, F.M. Medical University, Xi’an, P.R.China |
| 09/1977 – 03/1982 | M.D. | Weifang Medical College, Shandong, P.R. China |
Major Contributions:
Dr. Wang is the first in the world to unmask the molecular basis for the production of H2S in the blood vessel wall and the importance of this gas molecule in maintaining the health of the cardiovascular system. His studies demonstrate that disturbed metabolism of H2S in our body will lead to an array of diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, asthma, fatty liver disease, diabetes and obesity. These novel discoveries also pave the way for novel strategies to prevent and treat the relative diseases.
Dr. Wang is among only a few scientists in Canada, if any, who holds concurrent research grants from all of tri-councils (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) as the principal investigator. Over the course of his career, Dr. Wang has received over $13M research funding, and published 268 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals, Dr. Wang is also the editor of two books and has written 19 book chapters. He has been invited to give 155 lectures and keynotes around the world. To date, Dr. Wang has trained more than 110 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, visiting scientists, and other research personnel.
Awards and Recognition:
Dr. Wang’s achievements have been recognized with numerous honors and awards, including Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2010), Pfizer Senior Scientist Award of Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2008), Fellow of the American Physiology Society (2005), Fellow of the American Heart Association (2002), CIHR Investigator award (2000), Stevenson Visiting Professorship of Canadian Physiological Society (1996), Canadian Cardiovascular Society Young Investigator Award (1995), and the Heart and Stroke Foundation McDonald Scholar Award (1994).
In his past and current roles as the President of the Canadian Physiological Society, Associate Editor of Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, a member of editorial boards of the American Journal of Physiology and Scientific Reports, and a member of the Advisory Board for the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health, Dr. Wang has made significant contributions to advance physiology and biomedical sciences both in Canada and in the world. Dr. Wang has served a host of Canadian research funding agencies, including the CIHR, HSF, Ministry of Research and Innovation of Ontario, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. His service has also been sought by more than 30 international research funding agencies, including those from USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Austria, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Ireland, China, and Hong Kong.