1994年,华裔美国科学家钱永健(Roger Y Tsien)开始改造GFP,有多项发现。世界上目前使用的荧光蛋白大多是钱永健实验室改造后的变种,有的荧光更强,有的呈黄色、蓝色,有的可激活、可变色。用一些不常用做研究样本的生物找有颜色的蛋白成为一些人的爱好。不过真发现的有用东西并不很多。成功的例子有俄国科学院生物有机化学研究所Sergey A. Lukyanov实验室从珊瑚里发现的其他荧光蛋白(FP),包括红色荧光蛋白。
钱永健是钱学森的堂侄。他家多科学家和工程师。他中学时获得过西屋天才奖第一名,大学在哈佛念化学和物理,20岁毕业,后获英国剑桥大学生理学博士。他哥哥钱永佑(Richard W Tsien)是神经生物学家,曾任Stanford大学生理系主任。两兄弟分别获Rhodes和Marshall学者奖(通常认为是美国大学生竞争性最强的两个奖学金,克林顿总统曾获Rhodes),到英国留学,九十年代双双成为美国科学院院士。钱学森回国后,国内教育体系在他的子女应该上大学时受到极大破坏,使钱的子女钱永刚、钱永真没有得到他们堂兄弟那样的发展环境。钱永刚出生于1948年,文革后才念大学。但愿钱永健在钱学森先生在世的时候获奖,告慰他们全家。
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