The Botanical Society of China (BSC) is a non-profit specialized membership organization with its aim to provide a leading platform for the development of plant science and technology in China. It is affiliated to the Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and officially registered at the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. Currently, its membership covers a wide range of scientists across the country with members over 14500 including scientists, professors, teachers, students, botanists, and people interested in botany and/or plants.
The BSC was formally established in August 1933. Over the past 92 years, the society has experienced many difficulties and several chief development phases. With the war outbreak in 1937, its activities and meetings had to be forced into a complete suspension. It was not until 1949 that the BSC restarted to organize the Fifth National Congress in Beijing and over 500 members joined the society at that time. Ever since 1978, the BSC recovered its regular activities and held the National Congress every five years.
At present, the society has grown into an important national organization and played increasingly significant role in organizing a variety of academic events, involving in scientific journals publishing and subscribing, as well as in fostering and developing excellent young scientists.
The Sub-committees on Plant Cell Biology and Plant Structure & Reproductive Biology, under the leadership of the BSC, will serve as a robust pillar of support for this conference.
The State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research is one of the earliest established State Key Laboratories in China. Initially founded in January 1987 as the State Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Plant Genetic Engineering, it has undergone several transformations over the years. The Laboratory’s first director (1987-1994) was Professor Xiaocheng Gu, a renowned biophysicist, while the first Chair of its Academic Committee was Professor Longxiang Zhang, a distinguished biochemist. Since 2018, Professor Li-Jia Qu has been serving as the Director, with Professor Jindong Zhao as the Academic Committee Chair. In 2024, the laboratory underwent reconstruction and reorganization to become the State Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Modulation Research.
In recent years, the Laboratory is systematically conducting research in three major directions: gene function and traits, gene evolution and diversity, and gene modulation technology. The work in this Laboratory is grounded in fundamental research and closely integrated with applied basic research, addressing the country’s strategic needs. Moving forward, the laboratory aims to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge through the discovery of new biological phenomena, mechanisms and biodiversity. It seeks to continuously identify new growth areas that will support China's biotechnology innovation.
Yazhouwan National Laboratory, located in Yazhouwan Science and Technology City, Sanya, Hainan Province, is a government funded research institution established in September 2022. It focuses on national strategic tasks, particularly food security. The laboratory's research spans biological breeding theories and advanced technologies. It aims to become a core scientific force in biological breeding. It currently has 13 research teams working on major crops, oilseeds, and livestock.
With strong support from the central government and local authorities, the laboratory collaborates closely with seed companies for innovation, research, and development. It fosters teamwork across the entire innovation chain to drive seed industry technological advancements.
The College of Life Sciences at Sichuan University celebrated its 90 years of history in 2014. At early stage, some world-known biological scientists and educators, including Taixuan Zhou, Chongshu Qian, Wenpei Fang and Kechang Yong were the leaders to contribute significantly for the development of life sciences in the university.
The college of Life Sciences has strong research programs covering from microorganisms, plants, animals, human diseases and ecology. There are two national key disciplines: Plant Sciences and Genetics. There is a national key laboratory accredited by the Ministry of Education of China; nine state key laboratories supported by Sichuan Province; seven research centers and institutes.