In August 2024, Scripps Research officially opened the Chi-Huey Wong Laboratories for Biomedical Research. The 83,000-square-foot research facility’s opening marks a significant milestone in enabling new interdisciplinary collaborations across chemical and life sciences. The building will bring together laboratory teams focused on drug discovery, freeing up a large amount of lab space across campus for more incoming faculty members.

Supported by donor funding, the Chi-Huey Wong Laboratories is one of the largest facilities built by Scripps Research and constructed to Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED) Silver standards for green buildings. The facility features drought-resistant plants and trees along its walkways, outdoor seating areas, charging stations for electric vehicles, reduced water usage, and a light-colored “cool roof,” among other considerations. Its exterior, consisting of an eye-catching, modern facade of concrete, structural glass, and wood, complements the neighboring, architectural award-winning Hazen campus.

The state-of-the-art facility bears the name of Scripps Family Chair Professor of Chemistry Chi-Huey Wong, PhD, a recipient of the prestigious Wolf Prize in Chemistry and several other honors, including the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Synthesis, the American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award and the Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry. He is also an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Academia Sinica.

The new building was seeded with significant funding from Taiwanese businessman and philanthropist Samuel Yin, known worldwide as the creator of the Tang Prize. Other benefactors have also lent their financial support.