CHEN LAB

On 2 November 2020, I walked into the empty B612 for the first time. With just four long benches and a small office, I, together with a newly hired assistant, started what we called the Insect–Plant Interaction Research Lab. At that moment, I had no idea what we might achieve in the next five years. The only thing I was certain about was that I had to become a “super postdoc.”

After seven years as a postdoc at the John Innes Centre, I had become fascinated by the pursuit of high-quality research. I learned that nothing meaningful could be achieved without holding ourselves to rigorous standards. In my first year as a PI, I devoted much of my energy to establishing and maintaining high standards across every aspect of the lab. Of course, these expectations also brought pressure to both myself and students, and learning how to balance ambition with sustainability became an important lesson for me over the past five years.

During the first four years, we had little to show in terms of publications. Yet, step by step, the group grew more professional. Students became actively engaged in academic activities, and—most importantly—their work consistently met the high standards we set together, even if publication took time. I was deeply satisfied with the spirit that gradually took root in the lab.

Our research has remained tightly focused on aphids—particularly aphid-delivered cross-kingdom RNAs, a newly emerging field of research. We invested heavily in developing methods and approaches of our own. Progress was slow in the first three years but accelerated in the fourth. By the fifth year, the team had made several groundbreaking discoveries (see our publications).

I am sincerely grateful to all members of the Chen Lab. Without your hard work, dedication, and collaborative spirit, today’s Chen Lab—transformed from a small, newly assembled group into a mature and professional research team—would not exist.

Yazhou

 3^rd November 2025  at Wuhan