CHEN LAB
On June 4th, Dr. Jean-Christophe Simon from INRAE visited our lab. Dr. Simon is a leading aphid biologist. He presented his latest research on aphid host alternation. Following his seminar, Professor Changying Niu presented him with two handcrafted aphid models labeled with the species Acyrthosiphon pisum and Rhopalosiphum padi—two of Dr. Simon’s favorite aphids.
During his visit to HZAU, Dr. Simon actively engaged with students and faculty in the Department of Entomology, fostering lively discussions and scientific exchange.
On May 21st, Tingfeng He and Zhimou Lin presented their master’s projects to the degree committee. They successfully defended their work before the committee, which examined their academic achievements and assessed their overall qualifications for the master’s degree. Ultimately, the committee members unanimously agreed that Tingfeng and Zhimou have made significant contributions to the field of insect-plant interactions. Their accomplishments meet the requirements for the Master’s degree—congratulations!
As a symbol of their contributions to the lab, Tingfeng and Zhimou were awarded Aphid Medals by the lab. Well done!
On April 19th, Saskia Hogenhout and Federico Gabriel visited our lab. It was the first time Yazhou‘s lab had met Saskia since Yazhou completed his postdoctoral training with her. Everyone was excited to meet their academic “grand-supervisor.” We enjoyed a wonderful time together on a Zhiyin cruise ship. During the trip, our student Rong Hu was unexpectedly interviewed by the host, and soon after, Yazhou and Saskia were interviewed as well. People on the deck were curious about the three generations of scientists, and the moment turned into a lovely and memorable experience for all of us.
Zhicheng won the Best Weekly Report, Best Paper Reading, and Best Notebook awards for 2024, becoming the first member of the Chen Lab to achieve all three titles in a single year.
Intensive lab training can be incredibly demanding, often creating significant pressure. At times, it’s important to find ways to relieve that stress. The lab head serves as a unique role model—part mentor, part parental figure—much like Li Jing and Taiyi Zhenren were to Nezha. Although most of the time he is the serious, hard-faced Li Jing, in this video, Teacher Chen takes on the role of the silly Taiyi Zhenren.
On September 10, 2024—China’s National Teacher’s Day—the new lab members expressed their gratitude to Yazhou for his mentorship. This day, observed annually on September 10th, is a cherished tradition in China where students honor their teachers for their guidance, support, and dedication.
Rong is an active participant in academic conferences and has received multiple awards for her exceptional presentations. Most recently, she won the Presentation Awards for Women Scientists (PAWS) at the XXVII International Congress of Entomology (ICE2024 Kyoto).
On November 2nd, 2023, Chen Lab celebrated its fourth anniversary with a fun outing!
Shan was awarded the CSC scholarship to support her joint Ph.D. training at the John Innes Centre. She is the second student from the Chen Lab to receive this prestigious scholarship.
Siying, a former graduate student in the Chen Lab, conducted her graduation project with support from the Hubei Students’ Platform for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (湖北省大学生创新创业训练计划). Her project was recognized as outstanding.
In 2022, Rong won the Best Notebook award, while Tingfen received the Best Paper Reading award.
