Origins & Early Life

Wu Lien-teh (Chinese: 伍連德; pinyin: Wǔ Liándé; Jyutping: Ng5 Lin4 Dak1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gó͘ Liân-tek; Goh Lean Tuck and Ng Leen Tuck in Hokkien and Cantonese transliteration respectively; 10 March 1879 – 21 January 1960) was a Malayan physician renowned for his work in public health, particularly the Manchurian plague of 1910–11. He is the inventor of the Wu mask, which is the forerunner of today's N95 respirator. Wu was the first medical student of Chinese descent to study at the University of Cambridge. He was also the first Malayan nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in 1935.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Wu was born in Penang, one of the three towns of the Straits Settlements (the others being Malacca and Singapore), currently as one of the states of Malaysia. The Straits Settlements formed part of the colonies of the United Kingdom. His father was a recent immigrant of Ethnic Hoisanese background from Taishan, China, and worked as a goldsmith. Wu's mother's was of ethnic Hakka heritage and was a second-generation Peranakan born in Malaya. Wu had four brothers and six sisters.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His early education was at the Penang Free School, a Church of England school. Wu was admitted...

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