Recently, Du Juan, a postdoctoral fellow from Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS), UCAS, published a paper inNature, a world-class academic journal as the co-first author, and made breakthroughs in the field of structural and functional research of class C G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR).
Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu) are a family of class C GPCR and are one of the most important neurotransmitter receptors in the human body. At present, a total of 8 metabolic glutamate receptors (mGlu1-8) have been identified in the human body, whose functions involve learning, memory, emotions and pain perception, etc. They serve as therapeutic targets for diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. However, there are no drugs targeting such receptors on the market so far. Therefore, the research on its structure and function by Du Juan and the members of the research group led by Prof. Wu Beili is of great significance for the development of new drugs for mental and nervous system disorders.
Du Juan said that she was lucky to have joined the research from the beginning. During her master's and doctoral studies at UCAS, she started this time-consuming study with her supervisor Wu Beili. Five or six years have passed, and she could not remember how many difficulties and bottlenecks she encountered during the period, but fortunately, the unremitting efforts and team-work spirit finally blossomed into a beautiful flower. In Du Juan's opinion, Prof. Wu Beili has the spirit of "never giving up". It is her quality of meticulousness and dedication that inspires Du Juan to overcome one difficulty after another in scientific research.
It is Du Juan's daily life to "soak" in the laboratory all day long, from early in the morning to nine or ten at night. She still remembers that last year when the paper needed to be revised again and again, she gave up all her vacations and did not go home even for the Chinese New Year. She worked hard with her colleagues and raced against time. When asked how hard it was to do scientific research, Du Juan said that her supervisor Wu Beili's words were the most touching: "Scientific research is relatively pure, full of joys and sorrows. When the experiment works as expected, you feel happy; If it fails, just find a new path. There is no end point, but there are infinite possibilities."
In January 2020, Du Juan joined HIAS, UCAS as a postdoctoral fellow. Wu Beili, a double-employed professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology of HIAS and also the chief professor of her lab, reconnected with her student in a whole new way. "The main reason why I chose HIAS was that it is supported by the institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences and has strong scientific research strength. This allows me to continue my research very well." said Du Juan.
Du Juan feels that it was a very good choice to join HIAS. She introduced that HIAS provides a comprehensive approach to talent cultivation, especially the unique Professor Lab System. Each postdoctoral fellow will enjoy "group guidance" from several supervisors in the professor's lab composed of a chief professor, two young scholars, and a cultivated talent. Young scholars can often achieve rapid growth and improvement in an atmosphere of multi-disciplinary and multi-field collaboration for scientific research.
HIAS values, loves and nurtures talents. In addition to a good working environment and vast potential for future development, HIAS also provides living guarantees for postdoctoral fellows like Du Juan, including well-decorated loft apartments, annual salary of RMB 300,000 with subsidies, and adequate scientific research funds for researchers to move further. "I hope I can stay in Hangzhou for further research after my postdoctoral research. It is really a beautiful city, especially suitable for life and scientific research," Du Juan said with a smile.
On the eve of July 1 this year, Du Juan also submitted an application for admission to the HIAS Party Organization. In the view of Meng Qingli, Minister of the Party-Mass Work Department, the development of "educated" Party members like Du Juan is an inexhaustible "force of the times" for the Party and inspiration for more young people to serve the country with science and technology.
Editor: Yang Qiaoying
