In 1988, James C. Wang discovered DNA topoisomerases, which led to greater understanding of enzymes’ role in biological development and to the discovery of new medicines.

Topoisomerases, enzymes vital for cellular processes including replication and transcription, are the magicians of the DNA world. Responsible for uncoiling the tightly packed molecule, “they open and close gates in DNA without leaving a trace, and they enable two DNA strands or duplexes to pass each other as if physical laws don’t exist,” said Dr. Wang, MCB professor emeritus and the enzyme’s discoverer.

Wang spent much of his 40-year career uncovering the science behind the illusion, which eventually led to a better understanding of the enzymes’ crucial role in biological development and the discovery of new antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs. Described by his colleagues as a “brilliant but humble” scientist, his “pioneering, Nobel-prize quality work” no doubt helped define a generation of scientific research.