The second SMART Symposium, organized by the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (preparatory) and co-organized by the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, was successfully held at the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory High-tech Innovation Center.
This conference invited six special keynote speakers, including Professor Jian Yang from Columbia University in the United States, Researcher George F. Gao from the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Yanli Wang from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Lingling Chen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Molecular Cell Science Excellence Innovation Center, Professor Jijie Chai from Westlake University and Professor Arieh Warshel from the University of Southern California/Hong Kong Chinese University (Shenzhen) (2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate). In addition, over 40 guests from over 20 renowned global academic institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Hong Kong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences gathered for an academic feast about Bio-Architecture & Bio-Interactions. Over 200 participants, including faculty and students from Tsinghua University, Peking University, University of Science and Technology of China, Shandong University, Hong Kong Chinese University, Southern University of Science and Technology as well as representatives from companies such as Tencent, Huawei, Beike Biotechnology and Shuimu Future, attended the conference.
A Feast of Academic Excellence
Professor Nieng Yan, the founding president of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (preparatory) and the director of the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, presided over the opening of the symposium.
During the conference, over 40 guests shared their latest research results. 37 attendees from 15 different institutions presented their posters. Experts and scholars from various fields engaged in in-depth discussion on scientific issues they are interest in during the exchange section. Participants shared their experiences and outlooks on the frontiers of various fields.
Professor Jian Yang focuses on neurobiology and biophysics research. In his presentation, he systematically introduced the research and prospects on the conformational changes of cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) ion channels and the mechanism of ion channel diseases. He also discussed his team's series of studies on CNG ion channels and various diseases associated with CNG ion channels. His research reveals the fine-tuned operation mechanism and cGMP-mediated regulation of CNG ion channels and elucidated the three-dimensional structures of CNG ion channels in various states, including open, closed and intermediate states. His lab team also simulated the entire process of CNG ion channel activation and highlighted the important role of lipids in the dynamic changes of CNG ion channels. These studies provide important information for the future treatment of CNG ion channel-related diseases.
Researcher George F. Gao delivered enthusiastically an exciting presentation to over 200 audience including teachers and students. The title of his presentation was "COVID-19: Virus Discovery, Vaccine and Therapeutic Antibody Development." He first recalled the academic contributions of pioneers in the field of virology, such as Ernest A. Gauld and Don C. Wiley and then reviewed the 60-year span of coronavirus research and development. Dr. George F. Gao then introduced the design and development strategies of virus vaccines as well as the industrialization process and the social complexity of public participation about the vaccines.From the perspective of one of the earliest expert group members at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, he reviewed the rapid occurrence and development of the virus in the first few months. After that, he elaborated on the emergency response plan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, with a humorous twist, Dr. George F. Gao spoke in a modified Shanxi accent to imitate the famous philosopher Bertrand Russell's two pieces of advice on wisdom and morality that he gave for the future generations during his 1959 BBC interview. He used this to remind people, especially scientists, to persist in the pursuit of truth and the persistence of love and tolerance.
Researcher Lingling Chen delivered a keynote speech about "Linking RNA Processing and Function". She introduced her team's research and exploration of the new functions of over 98% of transcription products that are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Her lab team studies the regulatory role of specific ncRNAs in the formation and function of substructures within the cell nucleus. In particular, Dr. Chen systematically introduced about the team's progress in the discovery of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), the study of lncRNA biosynthesis and functions and the development of lncRNA technology on three levels, with the expectation that people will re-examine the states of ncRNAs in the central dogma. The long-term goal of Dr. Lingling Chen's team is to discover new functional of lncRNAs, to study their generation mechanisms and to understand their roles in mammalian cells.
Researcher Yanli Wang's focuses on the study of the structure and function of RNA interference (RNAi)-related proteins. In her presentation, she used the "arms race" between host and bacterial phages as the theme to introduce the research on the mechanism of the CRISPR-Cas system, especially the discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 system. She revealed how bacteria uses the CRISPR system to recognize and eliminate foreign nucleic acids during phage infection. She also explained how phages use different anti-CRISPR proteins to counteract bacterial killing, elucidating the symbiotic relationship between hosts and phages characterized by an "arms race". This relationship gradually evolves from the initial "kill or to be killed" vicious attack to achieve a mild coexistence mode, as seen in the case of the current COVID-19 virus. Through structural biology methods, Dr. Yanli Wang systematically analyzed the crystal structure of the Cas1-Cas2-Cas4 complex, identified its active center and discovered the dual-domain activity of Cas13a and the principle of RNA cleavage.
Professor Jijie Chai's presentation was titled "Plant NLR Signaling Pathway: From Resistance Protein Complex to Second Messengers" which introduces the functions and mechanism of plant NLR signaling in plant immunity and cell death. His research focuses on plant NLRs and uses structural biology and biochemical methods to decipher the conserved structural information of NLRs and clarify their biological functions in plants. One type of NLR resistance protein complex is located on the plasma membrane and acts as a calcium-permeable channel that participates in immune signal transduction, which is highly conserved in evolution. Another type of NLR with NADase activity catalyzes the generation of small nucleotide molecules and can function as a second messenger in immune regulation. The related work systematically reveals the minimal dimerization pattern of plant receptor kinases/receptor proteins activation and the general rules of linear peptide recognition. Professor Chai is the first to propose the concept of plant resistosomes and to demonstrate that resistosomes, as calcium ion channels or NADases, induce different types of nucleotide second messengers to initiate plant disease resistance and cell death pathways. The lively discussion that follows the excellent presentation was particularly impressive, resembling a doctoral thesis defense. Dozens of guests and attendees actively asked questions and "defendant" Professor Chai answered them enthusiastically, leaving everyone feeling unsatisfied due to time constraint. During the tea break, Professor Chai was once again surrounded by students and faculty for another round of lively discussion and semi-scholarly debate.
Professor Arieh Warshel's presentation was titled "Multiscale Simulation of Biological Systems." Professor Warshel has long been committed to using computer modeling methods to simulate the functions of various biological molecules, analyzing the operation mechanisms of important biological functions and improving enzymes and proteins based on this. Professor Warshel has created several key models for simulating biological molecule functions, including molecular dynamics, quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) and Coulombic (CG) electrostatics models. His team has used these methods to simulate enzyme-catalyzed reactions, to analyze the movement of myosin, to describe voltage-gated ion and proton channels and to develop a model for the COVID-19 virus. The systematic research of his team has pioneered the field of computational simulation in biology. The molecular simulation key calculation program they developed has been widely used in different fields. Professor Warshel's research has paved the way for understanding the mechanisms of biological molecules and has opened up new avenues for drug discovery and the design of novel enzymes.
After the presentation, Professor Arieh Warshel and Professor Nieng Yan exchanged gifts. Professor Warshel extended sincere congratulations to the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (prepatory) and the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL) in their future endeavors.
Professor Nieng Yan concluded her presentation on "Structural Pharmacology of Sodium Ion Channels". Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels are responsible for the initiation and propagation of action potentials. Mutations in these channels can lead to various excitatory system diseases in the nervous and muscular systems. Professor Nieng Yan's works have elucidated the structures of Nav channels in different conformations and their complex structures with various auxiliary factors, neurotoxins and drugs. The acquisition of the precise three-dimensional structures of Nav channels in different states is crucial for understanding their mechanisms of actions and for drug development. By analyzing and comparing the structural information of Nav channels in different states, the pathogenic mechanisms of various Nav channel-related mutant diseases can be revealed which as a result provides important information for the development of Nav channel-blocking drugs.
At the end of the forum, Professor Nieng Yan expressed her gratitude to the organizing committee, guest speakers, moderators and all the participants. She also praised the staff for their hard work. With that, the five-day long second SMART Symposium came to a successful conclusion.
In this February, the first SMART Symposium invited experts in the field of life sciences around the world to celebrate an academic springtime feast in Shenzhen. Professor Nieng Yan made a promise that SMART would hold academic conferences in Shenzhen every beautiful season and would invite experts and scholars all over the world to come to Shenzhen.
The second SMART Symposium, held three months later in early summer, added fuel to the fire of the just-concluded scientific forum in the Shenzhen Guangming Science City, continuing the academic fervor of the Science City forum. The Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (prepatory) and the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, located in the Guangming District of Shenzhen, have taken on the responsibility of being an innovative source for life sciences and biomedical research, conducting down-to-earth research and attracting talents. They have successfully implemented the planning blueprint of high-standard national science center into the development reality of the Science City, making the future of biological and medical research in Shenzhen even brighter.
There will be a fall reunion and a warm-hearted winter gathering to come in this series of forums, which will continue to invite experts and scholars around the world. Stay tuned for more exciting events!
