Hsien (Xian) Wu, US/Chinese biochemist (Fuzhou, Fujian, Qing 24 November 1893 – Boston 08 August 1959)

ACHIEVEMENTS

Authored 163 publications

First to propose that protein denaturation was a purely conformational change involving folding and unfolding of peptide chains

Studies on Denaturation of Proteins. XII. A theory of denaturation. Chinese Journal of Physiology 5(4):321-44, 1931. 

First to use labeled antigens for determining proteins in the presence of antibodies

Determined the quantitative relation of antibody-antigen combination

Proposed the theory of protein variation

Developed important methods with Otto Folin

With O. Folin. A revised colorimetric method for the determination of uric acid in urine. Jour. Biol. Chem. 38:459, 1919.

With O. Folin. A system of blood analysis. I. A simplified and improved method for the determination of sugar. Jour. Biol. Chem. 41:367, 1920. 

Codescribed Sia-Wu test

With R.H.P. Sia. Serum globulin in Kala Azar. Chin. Med. J. 35:527, 1921

Introduced modifications to Duboscq colorimeter

EPONYMY

Folin-Wu method

Folin-Wu pipette or tube  

Folin-Wu reagent for determination of glucose