Academic Affiliation
Professor, with a joint appointment in the departments of Chemical & Material Engineering in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering and Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Science.
Credentials
D.Sc, 1978, Israel Institute of Technology
PhD (Hon.), 2007, Complutense University of Madrid
PhD (Hon.), 2007, National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Bio
Joseph Wang, PhD, is a renowned expert in nanomaterial-based biosensors. He is known for his role in the invention of the FDA-approved Gluco-Watch, the first noninvasive biosensor for diabetes that monitors glucose levels through human sweat.
Recently Wang led a team that successfully merged efforts in the fields of biosensors, electronics and nanotechnology to fashion nanocrystals that can act as DNA biosensors by electronically recognizing subtle mutations in the DNA. This creates enormous potential for applications, such as the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases.
In addition, Wang’s efforts focus on the field of nanobioelectronics, in which nanomaterials are applied to the analysis of biomolecules. His interests include bioelectronic detection of proteins and nucleic acids, microfabrication, self-assembly of nanostructures, microfluidic devices (lab-on-a-chip), nanoparticle-based bioassays, bionanomaterials, management of diabetes and point-of-care clinical testing. Wang also researches the development of electrochemical sensing devices for clinical and environmental monitoring, implantable in vivo glucose biosensors, the development and characterization of new surfaces and interfaces, sensor/recognition coatings, remote sensing, the development of techniques for ultratrace measurements and the design of on-line flow detectors.
Wang’s contributions in these directions have been of major importance in the growing popularity of electroanalytical techniques. He has presented more than 130 invited and plenary lectures in 40 countries and has authored over 725 research papers, 12 chapters and seven books. His books include “Stripping Analysis,” “Electroanalytical Techniques in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine,” “Biosensors and Chemical Sensors,” “Analytical Electrochemistry,” and “Biosensors for Direct Monitoring of Environmental Pollutants.” He is among the top 10 most-cited researchers internationally in bioelectronics, was named the most-cited electrochemist in the world for 1995 and 1997 and ranked 17th on the Institute of Scientific Information’s (ISI) Most Cited Researchers in Chemistry list for 1992 through 2002. He received the ISI Citation Laureate Award for being the most cited scientist in engineering in the world from 1991 to 2001.
From 2001 to 2004, before his time at ASU, Wang was a regents’ professor and the Manasse chair at New Mexico State University (NMSU). To date, he has worked with 20 PhD candidates, 70 research associates and received eight patents.
Wang currently serves as chief editor of Electroanalysis. He is a recipient of the following awards: American Chemical Society’s Cole Parmer Award in Electrochemistry; Honorary Doctor from National University in Cordoba, Argentina; fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; American Chemical Society Award for chemical instrumentation; Heyrovsky Memorial Medal of the Czech Republic for contributions to voltammetry; NMSU’s Westhafer Award for Research; Visiting Scientist Fellow from the US National Academy of Sciences to China; and Society of Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh’s Young Faculty Award.
At the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Wang earned a BSc, MSc and DSc in chemistry.