I. Group Introduction
The “Strawberry Synthetic Biology” Laboratory of Professor Chongchi Liu’s group is affiliated with the Faculty of Synthetic Biology and the Emerging Agricultural Technology of Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT), with access to smart greenhouses, vertical farms, and other supporting facilities. The team currently consists of 1 Associate Researcher, 1 Associate Professor, 5 Postdoctoral Fellows, 3 Research Assistants, 2 Laboratory Technicians, and 4 Master’s and Doctoral students.
Our research focuses on three core directions:
1. Dwarf, pesticide-free, year-round fruiting strawberry varieties exclusively for urban agriculture;
2. Light-controlled and AI-assisted cis-element genetic circuits;
3. Application of plant chassis cells for nutritional enhancement, to create “super fruits” that deliver comprehensive nutrition, anti-aging benefits, and immune support in a single bite.
II. Introduction of the Group Leader
Professor Zhongchi Liu is a Chair Professor at SUAT and a recipient of the National Key Talent Program. She was formerly a tenured Professor at the University of Maryland, USA, an internationally renowned expert in developmental biology, and a leading scholar in the field of strawberry molecular genetics and fruit development. She has established a comprehensive set of molecular genetic tools and omics resources for wild strawberries and has made systematic and fundamental contributions to research on strawberry fruit development, fruit diversity, the mechanisms of auxin biosynthesis and signal transduction in fruit and seed development, and the asexual reproduction mechanism of strawberries. She has published 104 SCI papers in top journals including Nature, Genes & Development, Nature Communications, The Plant Cell, and PNAS. She also serves as an editor for prestigious international plant journals such as The Plant Journal and Frontiers in Plant Science: Plant Evolution and Development.
Research Areas: Molecular mechanisms of strawberry fruit development and asexual reproduction; synthetic biology-based modification of strawberry plant architecture, flowering, and fruit traits for vertical agriculture applications; application of plant chassis cells for efficient production of high-value proteins and small molecules.
III. Why Join Us
The group is equipped with internationally leading experimental equipment, sufficient research funding, an interdisciplinary cooperation network, and a clean and tidy laboratory environment, providing long-term support for innovation. We adhere to a “one-on-one” mentorship system, offering hands-on guidance through every step of topic selection, experimental design, paper writing, and thesis defense. Our team has an open and inclusive atmosphere, encourages bold exploration and tolerance for trial and error, and holds regular academic salons for close interactions with leading scholars at home and abroad. Our members come from all over China, and we advocate an open, inclusive, and joyful research culture to make both research and life fulfilling. In addition, we have established joint training and exchange cooperation mechanisms with top domestic and international universities and research institutions including Sun Yat-sen University and Fudan University, and outstanding members may be recommended for further studies at prestigious institutions. We welcome students interested in plant science, bioinformatics, food science, horticulture, artificial intelligence, agricultural engineering, and other related disciplines to join us.
We look forward to working with you in Shenzhen, the city of innovation, to redefine the way we enjoy fruits! Interested students, please send your CV and research interests to: luochu@suat-sz.edu.cn.
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