Sunney Ignatius Chan
Chinese-American biophysical chemist
2021 Awardee, Presidential Science Prize in Mathematics and Physical Sciences (Taiwan)
In his 60-year scientific research career, Sunney I. Chan navigated the fields of physical chemistry, chemical physics, and biophysics. His research achievements were as broad as they were essential, cracking one black box after another in basic science. About every 20 years, he would deliver a ground-breaking discovery that advanced the study of biological systems to a new epoch.
Born on October 5, 1936, in San Francisco, he returned to the United States after completing his secondary education in Hong Kong. He studied at the University of San Francisco. Soon after, he transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he received both his bachelor's and doctoral degrees in chemistry. In 1961, he completed his doctoral research under the guidance of physical chemist William Dulaney Gwinn and received his Ph.D.
Sunney Ignatius Chan was cracking the mystery of methane oxidation in a membrane protein and inventing a molecular catalyst. Sunney Chan inspired countless talented minds through his love of science and humanity.
On top of his academic brilliance, Sunney Chan’s career was also marked by his love of humanity. As a teenager, he once vowed to join the priesthood. After gaining world-class recognition as a scientist, he stepped away from American science—leaving one of the world’s most prestigious research institutions, Caltech—and came to Taiwan to devote himself to building the paradigms and infrastructure for advanced research at the then still-developing Academia Sinica.
He was like a missionary preaching his faith. During his tenure as Vice President of Academia Sinica, he formulated a roadmap for the Genomics Research Center. He also worked with the National Science Council of Taiwan to create the National Research Program in Genomic Medicine. Both efforts laid a solid foundation for the rise of Taiwan’s applied medicine and biotechnology industry.
He peacefully passed on May 5, 2025, with his family nearby.
His siblings are: Elizabeth Gong (older sister) and Diane Chan (younger sister). He is survived by his loving wife, Irene Chan; his dear son, Michael Chan, and daughter-in-law, Marianne Lee; and two loving grandsons, Peter Chan and Nicholas Chan.
Preceding him in death were his siblings: David Chan (younger brother) and Cynthia Chan (younger sister).
“The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: their courage nerves a thousand living men.”
— Minot J. Savage
