The Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education is supported by Hunan Normal University. Its preparatory construction was approved by Ministry of Education in 2001 and accepted in 2002. In 2004, it was authorized to become the National Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Hunan Province and Ministry of Science And Technology. In the following year, it excelled in the Evaluation of Ministry of Education. Academician Mai Kangsen is the incumbent academic committee director and Professor Liu Shaojun is the director of the laboratory. The laboratory has 52 research and teaching members, including an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, 2 experts with outstanding national contribution, 3 winners of National Outstanding Youth Foundation, 3 specially-appointed professors (including a chair professor) of Changjiang Scholars Program, 4 elites of the New Century Talents Project supported by the Department of Education, 4 Hunan Furong Scholars, 35 members with senior professional title and 39 with doctoral degree.
The laboratory focuses on 8 aspects of fundamental studies and applied researches in proteomics and developmental biology.
1. Researches on the structure and function of peptide toxins in spiders, especially in-depth researches on the structure and function of the peptide toxins of toxic spiders unique in China.
2. The advancement and application of protein chemistry and proteomics. We focus on the improvement of related techniques of proteomics and researches on some biologically important cells and tissues.
3. Gene regulation on protein expression and transgenic technology. We exploit gene knockout technique and transgenic mice to identify and evaluate the pharmaceutical protein gene and utilize the transgenic engineering on significant pharmaceutical protein. In the meantime, we use animal mammary gland bioreactor to produce these pharmaceutical gene drugs.
4. Functional genomics and proteomics research on severe chronic diseases. Our principal targets are human intricate traits and chronic diseases. We base on heredity and mutation of genes and cells to carry out studies on molecular genetics, medical genetics and other interdisciplines.
5. Protein evolution and mechanism studies in the senescence process. We focus mainly on the cross-linking and hardening of protein, attempting to reveal the key physiological process of senescence biochemistry.
6. The growth of germocytes in polyploid fish and other aquatic economic animals. We take advantage of cell and molecular biological techniques to execute research on germocytes with its germination, development and maturity in fishes and other aquatic economic animals. We also make further studies on polyploid fish.
7. Human cardiac development and gene regulation. We utilize directional differentiation techniques of cardiac muscle cell, cell and animal models and RNA interference technique to identify and appraise certain new genes in human genome.
8. Cell development and apoptosis and related researches on diseases. We do research on MAPK gene - trying to reveal its expression law in vertebrate and human lens - and exploit gene chips and proteomics technology to study the downstream target genes of MAPK, including its type, quantity and patterns of regulation.
The laboratory is gaining momentum in the fundamental research fields of protein chemistry and developmental biology and undertakes a host of national and provincial science projects, which now are bearing groundbreaking fruits. Presently, we possess National "973" Project and the Sub-task, National "863" Project and the sub-task, National Biological Industrialization Program, Project supported by the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China, Project supported by the Major Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Project supported by the State Key Program of National Natural Science of China and so forth. Meanwhile, we have scored the second prize of National Award for Science and Technology Progress, the first prize of Hunan Provincial Award for Science and Technology Progress and Hunan Provincial Natural Science Award and the first Hunan provincial Science and Technology Award for outstanding contribution. Our supporting discipline - development biology - was selected as the National Key Discipline by Ministry of Education in 2007.
The laboratory has established a favorable platform for scientific investigation and technology development, with lab equipment worth more than $ 8 million in total, including live cell imaging systems, transmission electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, high performance liquid chromatographs, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometries and other 80 valuable instruments, each worth $ 16,000 or more. The lab owns 4,000 square meters scientific research floor area and another 7,000 square meters gene bank reservation base for the tetraploid fish.
Add. No. 175, Lushan Road (South), Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
