Lijun Chai

The Chai’s lab can be found at the Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), a top-ranked agricultural university located in Wuhan, a dynamic city in central China. Dr. Lijun Chai received his Ph.D. from Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) in 2012 and joined as a lecturer. Later, in 2015 he was promoted to associate professor. Now he is serving as a full Professor at HZAU. During his Ph.D. he carried out a cooperative project about Self-incompatibility at the University of Birmingham, UK, in the laboratory of Prof. Vernonica Franklin-Tong, FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society).

Chai’s lab is mainly focused on the following three research aspects: (i) Molecular mechanism of self-incompatibility in Rutaceae family. (ii) Molecular mechanism of parthenocarpy in Citrus. (iii) Collection, evaluation and utilization of Citrus germplasm resources (primitive, wild and cultivated Citrus). His research group uses a variety of genetic, genomic, biochemical, and cell biological techniques to understand the fundamentals of plant sexual reproduction. His team identified S-RNase genes in citrus and provide the first definitive evidence that S-RNases function as the female S-determinants in citrus, using recombinant S-RNases to inhibit pollen in an S-specific manner (Nature Plants, 2020, 131-142).

Chai’s research group consists of 11 MS students and 6 Ph.D. students, including 1 Ph.D. student from Pakistan. His lab organizes weekly and monthly lab seminars to provide a chance for students to share their research progress and creative ideas. His lab is looking forward to making new progress in the fields of self-incompatibility and parthenocarpy. If you are interested in enjoying hot noodles, lakes and fishing, Wuhan is a perfect place. If you want to know more about his group, make contact with Chai through email.