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Boosting science and technology innovation in

Views from the leaders of some major research institutions in DING JIANG TANG Beijing SHENG LEI HUAJUN Dean, School of Director, Bioinspired President, Pharmaceutical Smart Interfacial Chinese Academy of Sciences (SPS), Science Centre, TIPC, Agricultural Sciences CAS Institute Director, Global Health Drug Discovery Institute (GHDDI)

At SPS, Tsinghua Uni- Following the notion The Chinese Academy versity, we endeavor to of learning from of Agricultural Sciences deliver the best education nature, we discovered (CAAS) is a national-level to our students, conduct that the properties institution for integrative cutting-edge research, of smart materials agricultural research. Our and accelerate translation are highly dependent mission is to address major from scientifi c discoveries on the “cooperation scientifi c and technological into new and distance principle” issues in ’s agricul- treatments. and “time-dependent” tural development. Over In 2016, Tsinghua Uni- factors. With the the past 60 years, we have versity joined forces with discovery, we proposed achieved world-leading the Bill & Melinda Gates designing interfacial original results and trained Foundation and the Beijing nanomaterials based on a troop of leading fi gures Municipal Government the binary cooperation in agricultural sciences. to establish GHDDI, an complementary principle, Going forward, we aim independent, not-for-profi t according to which, to become a world-class institute with a broad inter- promising materials research entity conducting est in addressing global can be built by placing fi rst-class research. health concerns. The fi rst two components with We will strengthen our translational and drug dis- opposite physiochemical academic programmes, covery platform of its kind properties in the enhance research plat- in China, GHDDI focuses “cooperation distance”. forms and researcher on tackling the most press- Our centre pioneered the development, deepen ing disease challenges in research on bio-inspired international collaboration, developing countries. interfacial materials and accelerate agricultural Both SPS and GHDDI have with superwettability research innovation and been growing rapidly and and developed the transfer of research we are actively recruiting interfacial chemistry results. Committed to outstanding researchers through integration and boosting China’s agricul- from around the world. innovation. The research tural science and tech- We welcome your joining is widely applied in nology, we support food us to make best e orts in industrial manufacturing, security and sustainable improving human health agriculture, health, and development of agriculture via great science and inno- energy resources. in China. vative translation.

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XU FANG LI CHEN TIAN HUIBIN FUQUAN WU JIANFENG GENG

President, Vice President, Director, State Dean, College of President, CEO, Capital Normal Key Laboratory Chemical Chief Scientist University of Cognitive and Vice President, GENEIS Neuroscience and Beijing University of Learning, Beijing Chemical Technology Normal University

The mission of the Devoted to geometry and After a decade’s fast Beijing University of Dedicated to precision Beihang University is topology, the foundation development, the State Chemical Technology research, to advance knowledge of modern imaging Key Laboratory of (BUCT) is a national key Geneis aims to advance and educate students in technologies, I am now Cognitive Neuroscience university directly under precision medicine and science, technology and leading the Beijing and Learning has become the administration of personalized clinical engineering that will best Advanced Innovation the leading centre for the Chinese Ministry of practices in China. With serve the nation and the Centre for Imaging cognitive neuroscience Education. It is selected robust and specialized world in the 21st century. Technology at Capital in China. Distinct from as the key university R&D teams, it will provide At its founding in 1952, Normal University (CNU). other neuroscience of the state “Project more professional, Baihang University was The newly established institutes, our laboratory 211”and“985 Innovation accurate and e ective committed to advancing centre integrates existing focuses on high-order Platform for Superiority services to doctors, the fundamental science technical resources of functions of the human Disciplines”. As a core of clinical departments and and technology through CNU and applies an brain, providing scientifi c this university after nearly hospitals, safeguarding educational innovation innovative management basis for promoting 60 years’ development, the health of every to make the world a mechanism. It seeks to intellectual development the College of Chemical customers and the better place. Now, the bring in greater social and mental health. With Engineering has become general public. university has more than benefi ts with innovation concerted endeavors of a an important national 2,400 faculty members, in imaging technologies. multidisciplinary research base for talent training training more than Boasting state-of-the- team, we are on a journey and scientifi c research 15,000 undergraduates art infrastructure, a to fulfi l an ambitious in chemical engineering, and 13,000 graduate supportive research mission—understanding occupying the front students. We still stay environment and an the mind and empowering rank among counterpart true to our commitment innovation-driven the brain. All talented colleges of domestic of creating knowledge, strategy, we have researchers sharing notable universities. particularly of aeronautics attracted a growing the same aspiration and astronautics, to bear number of talented are welcome to join our on the world’s great researchers to CNU and expedition. challenges. are expecting to achieve more technological breakthroughs soon.

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SURGE IN SUPERWETTABLE MATERIAL RESEARCH The research centre for BIOINSPIRED SMART INTERFACIAL SCIENCE (BISIS) is helping drive a global wave of study on nature-inspired ‘superwettable’ materials

Opened in 2014, China’s industries, including: energy, Bioinspired Smart Interfacial resources and environment, Science (BISIS) research health and medicine, centre is already a key player information, agriculture and in the booming study of chemical engineering. bio-interfacial materials and devices – and home to some of New biologically inspired the innovative field’s founding materials academics. Since its inception, BISIS has The centre, which is part already been largely responsible of the Technical Institute of for the development of the Physics and Chemistry at the study of interfacial materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences or surface materials, with (TIPCCAS), is located in superwettability. Inspired Superhydrophobic/Superhydrophilic surfaces Beijing’s Zhongguancun area, by nature, professor Lei a science and technology hub Jiang, BISIS director and an establishing the interfacial produce self-cleaning materials for leading universities and academician at CAS, proposed chemistry system. and aid in developing materials research institutes. In order to the binary cooperation Superwettability is the for industrial uses, such as for oil best align itself with China’s complementary principle extreme wetting state that the and water separation. sustainability goals, the centre for designing interfacial water contact angle can reach It’s a booming area. In recent is working towards breaking nanomaterials and developed 0° on glass with intrinsic 10° and times, nearly 500 institutions through fundamental technical bioinspired interfacial materials >150° on Teflon with intrinsic from 140 countries have bottlenecks in a broad range of with superwettability, 119°. Harnessing this could help devoted themselves to research

WORLDWIDE GROWTH OF RESEARCH ON BIOINSPIRED Research output on INTERFACIAL MATERIALS WITH SUPERWETTABILITY the topic increases rapidly, with a total of MORE THAN 10,500 PAPERS published so far. 2010 2013 2016 1998 2001 2004 2007 Approximately 500 research institutions from 140 countries involved. 1999 2000 2002 2003 2005 2006 2008 2009 2011 2012 2014 2015

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in this area. The discovery of corneas in 1970. In 1997, the of liquid and a solid as well as Superwettability Interface Ltd, superhydrophobic coating, a mono-microscale papillae of a gas, liquid and a solid, which to build a research centre to water-repellent, nanoscopic lotus leaves were shown to has helped the centre develop develop advanced materials in surface layer, has led to a surge explain their water repellence. 64 variations of material. By health, energy and agriculture, of related material research, In 2002, led by Jiang, applying the “cooperative accelerating the translation of demonstrated by a huge growth BISIS researchers studied distance” controlling two research results. in academic papers in this field. lotus leaves and revealed that nanoscale units with opposite Roughly 1,850 papers were the cooperation of multiple properties and “time regulation” People-oriented development published in 2016 alone and microscale and nanoscale in new materials, BISIS has BISIS values talent cultivation a total of more than 10,500 structures was the key to their pushed material designing to the and the sustainable papers on the topic have been water repellent properties. The philosophical level and is better development of its laboratories. published so far. exponential increase in papers equipped to harness the future As a result, the centre has Indeed, superwettability on bio-inspired superwettability technology. co-founded the Department research has a long history and interfacial science papers from of Bionic Intelligence at the can be traced back to the 1756 2002 onwards demonstrates Wide applications and School of Future Technology discovery of the Leidenfrost many material scientists once collaborations at the University of Chinese effect, which is when water focused on polymers were Intelligent bio-interfaces are Academy of Sciences. A produces an insulating vapour inspired to step into the field. an emerging frontier, and BISIS state key laboratory is also layer as it comes into contact In 2009, by studying the focuses both on basic research planned in partnership with with something hotter than super-oleophobic, or oil- and research applications. Beihang University in Beijing. its boiling point. This is what repellent characteristic of fish By exploring heat-transfer, Furthermore, the centre makes water droplets skitter scales, Jiang’s group identified sensors, cell capture, printing is working with Beihang across hot surfaces. Between an underwater superwettability and energy devices, BISIS University, Soochow University 1944 and 1945, scientists interaction system between hopes to help develop artificial and the Institute of Chemistry studied water repellent, liquids and solids. In the same interfacial materials for large- at CAS to secure additional or ‘superhydrophobic’, year, a model for the underwater scale industrial applications. funds to support the centre’s phenomenon on wheat leaves superwettability system In an effort to encourage innovation abilities. and duck feathers. The birth between gases and solids was industry collaborations, As a member of the United of hydrophilic silicon wafers in established based on the super- the centre has worked with States National Academy of 1959 established the foundation hydrophilicity of underwater multiple companies to achieve Engineering, Jiang and BISIS of the semiconductor industry, lotus leaves. BISIS has expanded technology transfer successes. have attracted 100-plus leading followed by the discovery of the research to three-phase Examples include: a technique researchers from China and the hydrophilic properties of systems that involve two rounds to produce more than two abroad to create an ambitious, hundred thousand square energetic and innovative metres of self-cleaning glass for research team. Jiang has NanoSolutions Ltd; oil-water cultivated dozens of talents, separation filter membranes including Professors Shutao that were applied in about Wang, Liping Wen and five 800 ships for Beijing Binary other outstanding researchers Century Nano-Technology who are all winners of the Co., Ltd.; the technology to National Science Fund for produce superamphiphobic Distinguished Young Scholars. neckties and silk scarves for The BISIS welcomes Ningbo Elite holding Group outstanding researchers Company; and the nano green from all over the world to printing technique, transferred join the team on an academic to Beijing Zhongke Nanothink exchange. It believes that Printing Technology Co. Ltd., and incorporating new international applied in a dozen of printing ideas will spark even greater factories for printing books and creativity in this fascinating newspapers. The green printing field. n equipment was also sold to South Korea. Currently, BISIS has also established a strategic partnership with 86-010-82543770 @mail.ipc.ac.cn a local company, SciTech www.ipc.ac.cn

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