Introduction to the Professional Degree of Master of Biology
Biology in Three Gorges University is a doctoral cultivation discipline. In 2006, our biochemistry and molecular biology, and ecology, the two secondary discipline masters’ enrollments authority and gained the provincial key disciplines. In 2008, we started master's enrollments in botany. In 2010, we gained the first level of discipline master enrollments in biology. Until now, Biology has four branches (plant biology, biological, chemical and pharmaceutical chemistry) to offer Chutian scholars’ faculty positions, and we will take advantages of Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Development and other 11 key laboratories as our backups and confirm the direction of our disciplines, equip the society with creative scientists.
Orientations:In order to gain doctoral degree authorization and become a basic regional industry applied research, technology innovation and talent training platform, we will use the biological resources in western hubei and shennongjia region and develop the biological industry in these areas. Also, we will take the application of the specific biological resources as the core norm. Besides, we will utilize the key technique breakthrough in biological industry to construct regional biological medicine and biological manufacturing industry, and cultivate appropriate biologic background individuals to fit the local economic development.
Superiorities and features:The construction of Yichang biological industrial park based on biological medicine and biological manufacturing provide numerous opportunities for the talents in our disciplines, so our disciplines focused on the innovation in regional characteristics of biological resource utilization and the key techniques in biological industry. We have already formed the following advantages and characteristics:
(1)Biochemistry and molecular biology is devoted to the research of important genes and their functions in characteristic plants, and the analysis of the mechanism of related genes in the important physiological processes of plants. It is also necessary to carry out the research of genetic engineering technology of resource plants and establish a large database of biological information to solve the major theoretical and technical problems in the research and utilization of biological resources in our province.
(2) Plant phenogenetics targeted to solve the problems in rare characteristic plant genetics and breeding sterility, and indicated to the research in breeding techniques, flowers development and germplasm innovation. We have successfully set up high frequency somatic embryo regeneration system and genetic transformation system in five precious tree species. We found the new function of AGL6 genedirectly involved in perianth development. Also, the research direction has powerful influence in rare and precious woody plant embryogenesis breeding field.
(3) Microbiology formed the advanced features in breeding engineering, technology improvement, yeast product research and development, and microorganism fermentation regulation, because of the requirement of regional biological industry. Now, we cooperate with Angel yeast Co., Ltd and participate in several important provincial scientific research projects.
(4) Research and utilization of biological resources aimed at the discovery of tujia medicine plant and compounds of specific environmental microbial drugs, structure optimization and the structure-activity relationship, screening the drug activities and foundation of the mechanism. We have set up the traditional Chinese medicine industry development plan, formulated the country and Hubei province, especially the tujia medicine quality standards. In tujia medicines basic applied research field, we have the regional advantage and are at the national-wide leading status.
Cultivation goals:Based on the requirements of biological industry for individuals training in our discipline, biology-specialized talents with highly creative abilities in both research and application areas are trained to contribute economic construction and social development. Our objectives of individuals training include: Mastering basic theory in biology science, professional knowledge and experimental skills; obtaining independent ability in biology-related research and technical development field; having the academic communication ability; possessing a firm political belief, positive emotion, physical health, pragmatic style, and good sense of team spirit.
Discipline directions:(1) Plant chemistry: focus on the research of quality characterization, chemical composition, pharmacological effect and cultivation of medicinal plant resources in three gorges area; (2) Plant phenogenetics: focus on the questions about the protection and utilization of regional rare plants, mainly in breeding techniques, regulation of flower development, discovering gene resources and germplasm innovations, etc.; (3) Microbiology: focus on the requirements of key techniques for regional biological industries, perform the basic research and technical development of microbiological applications in food science, biological and pharmaceutical fields.;(4) Phytoecology: focus on the research of systemic restoration and protection of degraded ecosystem in three gorges reservoir, investigate the mechanism of physiological ecology of pioneer plants response to environmental stress, etc.; (5) Chemicobiology: investigate the molecular mechanism of compounds via chemical reagents. Besides, focus on the design and synthesis of hypersensitiveintracellular fluorescent reagent and small molecular probes, discover and recognize the target sites.
Domestic and international influence:We established close relationships with 21 domestic and international well-known colleges and universities and 8 scientific research institutes in many aspects, such as joint research, the exchange of visiting scholars and the training of graduate students, etc. In recent 4 years, we held 10 times domestic and international academic conferences, invited 110 domestic and foreign well-known scholars to give lectures, and sent our researchers to participate in domestic and international academic conferences more than 120 times.
Some of our teachers are editors of “the Journal of Plant Microbiology ",“Agricultural Science and Technology”, “Ginseng research” and etc,. Some teachers are reviewers in 38 of magazines and journals. Our disciplines are the units in China national medical association, Hubei academy of cell biology, genetic association, ecological society, plant society, biological engineering society, and biological physical society director unit.
We have participated in the revisions of the 2016 edition of “the Hubei herbal medicine quality standard” and “Hubei herbal medicine processing norm”. Our “Panax japonicus herbal medicine quality standard” in the 2015 edition has been brought into "Chinese pharmacopoeia". We hosted and joined the planning of Yichang biological industrial park, investigation and construction of Dajiuhu national wetland park, Shennongjia national nature reserve, and Dalaoling national forest park. Besides, we completed the tujia medicinal plants survey and rare endangered plant germplasm resources survey. Till now, we have infused 149 trained professional technical and management personnel for enterprises and institutions.
