Research

The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research is one of the earliest established State Key Laboratories in China. Initially founded in January 1987 as the State Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, it has undergone several transformations over the years. The Laboratory’s first director (1987-1994) was Professor Xiaocheng Gu, a renowned biophysicist, while the first Chair of its Academic Committee was Professor Longxiang Zhang, a distinguished biochemist. From 1994 to 2002, Professors Zhangliang Chen and Xiaocheng Gu served as the second Laboratory Director and Academic Committee Chair, respectively. In December 2010, under the leadership of the third Laboratory Director, Professor Yuxian Zhu, and Academic Committee Chair, Professor Zhihong Xu, the laboratory was renamed the State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research. Since 2018, Professor Li-Jia Qu has been serving as the Director, with Professor Jindong Zhao as the Academic Committee Chair. In 2024, the laboratory underwent reconstruction and reorganization to become the State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research.

Over the past 38 years, under the leadership of four directors, the Laboratory has prioritized basic biological research while aligning its efforts with the strategic needs of the nation. It has consistently focused on research and technological advances at the cutting-edge of biology in the international arena. Notable achievements include basic discoveries in understanding biomacromolecules such as DNA, RNA and protein, and technological inventions associated with the discoveries, such as gene editing, circular RNA technology, and antibody therapy. These efforts have resulted in three Second Prizes of the National Natural Science Award, four First Prizes of the Ministry of Education's Natural Science Award, one recognition as one of China's Top Ten Life Science Advances, two Ho Leung Ho Lee Prizes for Progress in Science and Technology, one Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Progress Award, and one Tan Jiazhen Talent Award for Innovation in Life Sciences. The Laboratory currently comprises 45 full-time Principal Investigators (PIs).

In recent years, the Laboratory is systematically conducting research in three major directions: gene function and traits, gene evolution and diversity, and gene modulation technology. The work in this Laboratory is grounded in fundamental research and closely integrated with applied basic research, addressing the country’s strategic needs. Moving forward, the laboratory aims to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge through the discovery of new biological phenomena, mechanisms and biodiversity. It seeks to continuously identify new growth areas that will support China's biotechnology innovation.

Website Link： http://www.pepge.pku.edu.cn/English/