President Madam Halimah Yacob presented Professor Wang Linfa with the Science Medal at the 2021 President’s Science and Technology Awards in recognition of his global leadership in solving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and advancing our understanding of bat biology and emerging infectious diseases.
WANG LINFA ACCEPTS THE SCIENCE MEDAL FROM PRESIDENT MADAM HALIMAH YACOB AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE ISTANA TODAY // CREDIT: A*STAR
“I am very honoured to receive this prestigious award, which is the highest honour given to a scientist in Singapore. I hope that the award will enable me to play an even more important role in contributing to science in Singapore and inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Wang at the time.
Through his extensive work in bat biology and emerging viruses, he established bats as a new way to study zoonotic transmission of viral diseases. Using bats, he unravelled the mystery behind this small mammal’s ability to stay healthy despite harbouring numerous viruses. This expertise enabled him to contribute to the regional responses to recent viral epidemics and pandemics, including Nipah, SARS — where he traced the virus’ origins to bats — and COVID-19.
Among his contributions to the fight against COVID-19, Wang and his team developed a novel surrogate virus neutralisation test — the only FDA-authorised serological test — and a third-generation coronavirus vaccine strategy that could potentially combat not only known SARS-CoV-2 variants, but also other coronaviruses that may emerge in the future.
As a member of multiple pandemic response committees, including several World Health Organisation COVID-19 committees, Singapore’s COVID-19 Research Workgroup, and the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations or CEPI, Wang provided expert advice to enable them to better respond to epidemics and pandemics. He is also a fellow of prestigious academic bodies, including the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and the American Academy of Microbiology.
Adding his congratulations to Wang’s prestigious national recognition, Professor Thomas Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS, said at the time: “Any one of Linfa’s accomplishments make him a worthy recipient of the President’s Science Award but the constellation of his accomplishments during this pandemic, drawn from a career spent studying bats and emerging viruses, makes this a particularly fitting tribute. His contribution to Singapore and the world will be counted in millions of lives impacted.”
WANG LINFA (BACK LEFT) JOINS FELLOW RECIPIENTS, WHO INCLUDE SINGHEALTH GROUP CEO AND DUKE-NUS GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER CLINICAL PROFESSOR IVY NG (FOURTH FROM LEFT), TO MARK THE 2021 PRESIDENT'S SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS // CREDIT: A*STAR
Alongside Wang, Duke-NUS Governing Board Member and SingHealth Group CEO Clinical Professor Ivy Ng was honoured with the President’s Science and Technology Medal “for her outstanding leadership in the advancement of academic medicine in Singapore through developing health and biomedical sciences research and innovation, nurturing clinical research talent, and establishing strategic partnerships among academia, healthcare, and industry, to improve healthcare infrastructure”.