Full Name JS Chiao Name JS Chiao Children Paul Chiao, Fan Jiao | Years active 1947–2009 Occupation Microbiologist | |
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JS Chiao Professor J. S. Chiao(Jui-Sheng Jiao), 9/13/1918 - 12/22/2009, one of the leading microbiologists in the world, from the Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology of the Chinese Academia of Sciences, and an honorable member of the American Society for Microbiology, died at 15:50 on December 22, 2009 in the East China Hospital in Shanghai, China, at the age of 91. Professor Chiao spent 60 years in research on Microbiology and was one of the world’s leading scientists on its progress and application to the field of biotechnology.
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Early years
Born on September 13, 1918, a native of Pingshan County, Hebei Province, he was the first one in his family to receive a formal education. In September 1936, he achieved excellent test scores in the nationwide college entrance examinations. He began his studies in the Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, with the noble ideal of promoting science in China. In July 1941, he completed his B.Sc. degree at the National Southwestern Associated University (NSAU), which consisted of Tsinghua, Nankai, and Beijing universities, and relocated to Kunming during the Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). Later, he was appointed as a Research Assistant in the Department of Chemistry at NSAU. In September 1947, he received a Washington State University Scholarship in the United States to study organic chemistry, and obtained his master's degree there in organic chemistry in March 1949. He continued his education at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and received MS, and Ph.D degrees in the field of Microbiology in 1950 and March 1953, respectively.
Research career
In March 1953, Dr. Chiao became a senior researcher in Research & Development of micro-organisms at the Grain Processing Company in Muscatine, Iowa. After learning that the New China needed scientists, he desired and was determined to contribute to the newly founded country. Thus, he gave up his good job and comfortable living in the USA, overcame countless obstacles, and returned to the motherland in March 1955. From March 1955 to August 2004, Prof. Chiao served as Associate Research Staff, Research Staff and Director of Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology. He was also the Chairman of the Chinese Society for Microbiology, President of the Shanghai Society of Microbiology, Biotechnology Consultant of the State Science and Technology Development Center of Biotechnology, and Vice Chairman of the Committee of Experts of the Chinese Academy. Dr. Chiao was the founder and Editor of the journal "Microbiological Engineering News", and Editor of the "Micro Projects" at the Chinese Society of Microbiology. He successfully organized the Tenth International Symposium on the Biology of Actinomycete in 1997. This international symposium greatly improved the standing of the Chinese Society of Microbiology in the International Union of Microbiological Societies, and won much praise from Chinese microbial academia. Because of his outstanding contributions to research in Microbiology, he was elected by the American Society for Microbiology as Honorary Member. Furthermore, he was selected as representative of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress for two successive terms.
Public notability
Professor Chiao made significant contributions to (i) microbial physiology and biochemistry, (ii) bio-engineering and basic research for the development of microbiology, (iii) modern biotechnology, and (iv) personnel training in China. He paid attention to advances in microbiology and biotechnology, provided timely guidance to Chinese microbiology research in the use of microbial physiology to enhance the promotion of industrial technology. He also advocated work on the genomes of uncultured microorganisms and the strengthening of research and development to seize upon important opportunities, and to advance development. For decades, he targeted industrial applications, as well as basic research carried out to obtain fruitful results, and promoted the industrial development of microbial technology in China. He also promoted further studies on the basic theory of Microbiology.