Introduction

The disciplines of animal science and biomedical science have a rich and prestigious history since their inception in 1930s. Many famous biologists had studied or worked in this department including Professors Ti-Cho Tung, Chengkui Zeng and Sheng Zeng etc. Professor Ti-Cho Tung is regarded as one of the pioneering experimental embryologists and known as ”Father of Cloning in China”, who contributed to animal cloning, nucleus-cytoplasm interaction and cell differentiation, which laid the foundation of developmental biology in China. The outstanding alumni from these disciplines including Professors Xiaohui Zhuang, Zhiyi Zhang, Fazhen Zhao, Fusui Zhang and Jilin Lei had been elected as academicians of CAS or CAE ever since. In 1986, the disciplines acquired the first PhD-awarding qualification in developmental biology in colleges and universities over China. Since 2009, the faculties in the disciplines were integrated in the Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology.

In the past decades, the institute has made important progresses in deciphering molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating embryonic development of animal models, molecular and cell biology of major diseases, and the biological behaviour of hormones and immune response to pathogens. These findings, in addition to major contributions in fundamental cell and developmental biology, were the hallmarks of the institute.

Research directions

1.Developmental biology and reproductive biology

This direction aims to investigate cellular and molecular cues underlying key scientific questions about reproduction, embryonic development, organogenesis and metamorphosis. Employing model animals including mouse, zebrafish, C. elegans and Drosophila, this direction also focuses on establishing disease models to decode the pathogenesis of important human genetic diseases, such as infertility and hearing loss.

2. Cell biology and major human diseases

This direction focuses on the study of molecular structures and processes of cellular life and their roles in the function, reproduction, and development of living organisms as well as understanding specific disease processes and discovering the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for disease development. By exploring the mechanisms of cell signaling pathway and gene expression regulation in cancer and cardiovascular disease etc., we strive for discovery in the function of basic physiologic and cellular systems and their associated disease states with an intent to translate our findings to improve human health.

3. Invertebrate development and immunology

The goals of this direction are to explore the molecular mechanisms of hormone regulation in insect development and the innate immunity and disease prevention of invertebrates. 1. Using cotton bollworm as model, a major agricultural pest, to elucidate the signaling pathways of ecdysone, juvenile hormone and insulin during process of molting and metamorphosis and to provide target genes for pest control. 2. To study new pattern recognition receptors and immune-related signaling pathways. Our research will provide new strategies for the prevention and control of shrimp breeding diseases.