Xiaoliang Sunney Xie

Xiaoliang Sunney Xie is a Chinese biophysical chemist who is currently the Lee Shau Kee Foundation Professor, Dean of School of Physics at Peking University, Director of Beijing Changping Laboratory. Xie's research focuses on developing and applying new imaging techniques to study the behavior of individual molecules in living cells, with the aim of understanding the dynamics of biological systems at the molecular level. He is known for his pioneering work in single-molecule biophysics and has developed several innovative imaging techniques, including stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy.  Xie has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science, including the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize in Biophysics, and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he has been recognized as one of the most highly cited researchers in the world.