What I work with

I am interested in identifying new pheromone compounds and then clarifying their potential biosynthetic pathways, so as to look into the biochemistry mechanisms that regulate the formation of such species-specific chemicals. My current researches include a large-scale identification of the species-specific male wing-biased scent from the African butterflies (genus Bicyclus), and identification of sex pheromone in seed orchard cone insect. I am also involved in the “pheromone brewery” project, to apply the bioactive insect genes on the transgenic production of pheromones.

My background

I did my PhD in 2001-2004 at the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, by studying the sex pheromone biosynthesis in closely related moth, Helicoverpa armigera, H. assulta and their hybrids. Since 2004, I was working at the Institute of Zoology, CAS as assistant Prof. until 2008.

In 2005-2006, hosted by Dr. Joop van Loon, I visited the Entomology Group at the Wageningen University, The Netherlands, where I applied the “activity-dependent agmatine labeling” technology on insect neuron system and localized the sucrose receptor neuron on the lateral sensillum of the European White Butterfly, Pieris brassicae. Later on I visited the Pheromone Group in Lund, Sweden in 2006-2007, and studied the sex pheromone biosynthesis in several moth species, including the Chinese Tussah Moth,Antheraea pernyi, the Navel Orangeworm, Amyelois transitella and the Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata. Since late 2008, I started my post doctor projects in the Pheromone Group.