Xu Genjun (; 23 November 1935 – 8 January 2008) was a Chinese biochemist. He was a professor at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. He was an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of the Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Biography

Xu was born in She County, Anhui on 23 November 1935. He graduated from the Chemistry Department of Fudan University in 1957, and joined the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry afterwards, where he participated in and made significant contributions to the insulin synthesis project led by

Wang Yinglai Wang Yinglai (; 13 November 1907 – 5 May 2001), also known as Ying-Lai Wang, was a Chinese biochemist recognized as the first person to create synthetic insulin, a major scientific breakthrough that produced a biologically active compound fr ...

. He later researched enzyme kinetics, chemical modification of proteins, the relationship between proteins' structure and function, and the folding and refolding of proteins. Xu published more than 100 research papers in academic journals. He was a two-time winner of the

State Natural Science Award The State Science and Technology Prizes () are the highest honors conferred by the national government of the People's Republic of China in science and technology, in order to recognize citizens and organizations who have made remarkable contribut ...

(first class), in addition to several national prizes by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He was also awarded the

Ho Leung Ho Lee Prize The Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation (HLHL, ) is a Hong Kong-based non-government organisation which annually bestows prizes upon Chinese scientists. It was established on 30 March 1994, with funds donated from the charitable foundations of Ho Sin Han ...

for Life Sciences. He was elected as an academician of the CAS in 1991. Xu died on 8 January 2008 at

Zhongshan Hospital Zhongshan Hospital (), formerly Chung Shan Memorial Hospital, is a major teaching hospital in Shanghai, China, affiliated with the Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University. History The hospital was built in 1935 and officially opened on 1 A ...

in Shanghai, at the age of 72.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xu, Genjun 1935 births 2008 deaths Biologists from Anhui Chemists from Anhui Chinese biochemists Fudan University alumni Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences People from She County, Anhui