The Faculty Scholars Program has awarded Jue “Jade” Wang, associate professor of bacteriology at the UW-Madison, with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Scholar.
The award aims to assist young and talented scientists with laboratory research funding over five years, according to a Thursday university release. It was created through a partnership between the Simons Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“We’re very happy that she’s gotten this award,” said Rick Gourse, Wang’s colleague and a professor of bacteriology, in the release.
Wang studies the machinery in bacterial cells that make copies of DNA as well as the machinery that creates RNA from DNA. Wang is interested in how collisions between the machinery have changed the evolution of microbial genomes and how cells avoid this with cellular responses to stress.
“Basic science has not fared well in our current funding climate,” Gourse said in the release. “This award will allow her to do things she would not be able to do otherwise."
