1994 Winner: Outstanding Leadership In Alberta Science
Making Strides in Enzymology
Dr. Jerry Wang is a distinguished Alberta scientist who has made substantial contributions to our understanding of the enzymology of signal transduction mechanisms. One of the most actively studied areas in biomedical science, signal transduction is the basis of all processes that involve a signal (for example, a hormone) that directs a cell membrane to produce changes in biochemical pathways and expression of genes.
Dr. Wang had earlier demonstrated that the protein calmodulin, which is intricately involved in regulating a number of intracellular processes, is a calcium-binding protein, and that the binding of calcium is essential to this activity. Since coming to The University of Calgary in 1982 as an Alberta Heritage Foundation Scientist, Dr. Wang has been instrumental in establishing the Cell Regulation Research Group in the Faculty of Medicine, and he coordinated the development of an MRC research group in Signal Transduction. Dr. Wang has worked closely with Nobel laureates Edmond Fischer and Edwin Krebs, who have contributed their knowledge and experience to both major Alberta universities through this collaboration.
