China-UK Joint Laboratory established on 14th December 2000

On 14th December 2000, a ceremony was held in HUST No1 Building for signing the Agreement to establish a Joint Laboratory at HUST in Wuhan, China between Huazhong University of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the Rothamsted Research of the United Kingdom. Professor Peter R Shewry Associate Director of Rothamsted Research and Professor Ding Lieyun Vice-President of HUST signed the Agreement on behalf of RRes and HUST, respectively. Professor Zhou Ji Vice-Governor of Hubei province and President of HUST (from 2003, Professor Zhou Ji becomes the Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Education) chaired the ceremony and pledged his strong support to the Laboratory on behalf of HUST and Hubei province. Professor Zhou Ji issued the certificate to appoint Professor Peter Shewry as Consultant Professor of HUST under his authority as Presidentship of HUST and issued a certificate to invite Professor Peter Shewry to be a member of HUST Scientific Advisory Board on behalf of the chairman of that Board, the Academician Yang Shuzi. Vice-President Professor Wang Chen, Director of HUST International Exchange Center, Li Hao, Director of HUST Science and Development Department, Professor Cheng Xiueguang and the Dean of HUST Life Science School, Professor Xu Huibei, attended this awarding and signing ceremony. Several Newspapers and local TV reported the above-mentioned activities. In October 2000, Dr Judy Mann (International Officer of Rothamsted) visited HUST to discuss the China-UK Joint Laboratory project. She was met by the Chairman of HUST Committee Professor Zhu Yuquan and first Vice-President Professor Huang Guangen and Vice-President Wang Chen. She had a meeting with the Director of HUST International Exchange Centre Mr Li Hao and Dean of Life Science School Professor Xu.

Professor Peter SHEWRY and HUST President Professor Mingwu FAN Co-chaired Laboratory Building Opening Ceremony>

The first annual scientific advisory board meeting of the China-UK Joint Laboratory was held at HUST on the August 22^nd – 23^rd 2001. Academician YANG Shuzi and Professor Peter R SHEWRY acted as honorary co-chairman. Vice-President of the HUST Professor WANG Cheng was the Chairman of the meeting. Representatives from Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, National Science Foundations of China, Hubei Provincial Government and related administration offices of HUST and some famous scientists in the related fields, as well as the scientific advisory board members of China-UK Joint Laboratory attended the meeting. President of HUST academician Mingwu FAN and Professor Peter R SHEWRY cut the ribbon for the newly reconstructed laboratory building. Professor Peter SHEWRY, Dr Huw JONES and Dr Daowen WANG gave the lectures on their fields respectively.  Professor Guangyuan HE reported on research progress in the past year and presented his work-plan for the future.

Professor Zhou Ji met professor Peter Shewry and Dr Huw Jones

During the period of the first annual scientific advisory board meeting of the China-UK Joint Laboratory, Professor Zhou Ji talked to Professor Peter Shewry and Dr Huw Jones concerning the cooperation.

Members of the Joint Lab Advisory Board

Professor Roger Leigh's Visit

Professor Roger Leigh the Head of Plant Science Department at the University of Cambridge and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of China-UK Joint Laboratory, visited HUST on September 8^th –17^th 2001. Professor Huang Guangying, the vice-president of HUST, met Professor Leigh and awarded him the Letter of Appointment as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board at the China-UK Joint Laboratory. Li Hao, director of HUST International Exchange Center, and Professor Xu Huibi, head of the College of Life Science and Technology (HUST), and Jianping Geng, Qingming Luo and Guangyuan He attended the meeting. During his visit period, Professor Leigh gave several lectures on scientific research and management.

Professor John Lucs's Visit

Professor John Lucas, the Head of the Plant-Pathogen Interactions Department of Rothamsted Research, and Dr Simon Foster visited China-UK Joint Laboratory on April 18^th 2002 and gave lectures on “Advances in Plant Pathology and Microbiology” and “Advances in molecular detection of plant pathogens” respectively. After the meeting, they had discussion with the joint lab members.

Members of the Joint Lab outside activities

Joint Lab members in UK in 2004

Project Evaluation

On September 12^th 2002, our project was evaluated by a Judging Board nominated by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and awarded a high score.

Professor Kim-Hammond Kosak's Visit

Professor Kim Hammond-Kosack from Rothamsted Research visited the Joint Laboratory on the December 4th, 2002 and gave a scientific lecture titled “Brassica/Arabidopsis genomics and disease resistance”.

Professor Peter Shewry and Dr Hugh Jones' Visit

On December 12th 2002 by the invitation of China-UK Joint Laboratory, Professor Peter Shewry and Dr Huw Jones from Rothamsted Research (UK) made a visit to HUST and gave two scientific lectures “Improvement of wheat quality by genetic engineering” and “Transformation and gene tagging in wheat” respectively