The Institute of Zoology (IOZ) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is a government-funded scientific research institution focusing on the basic science of Zoology. Formerly known as the Fan Memorial Institute of Biology, IOZ was established in 1928 and has a long history of more than 90 years. Over the course of its development, IOZ has nurtured many outstanding scientists, including the famous scientist Dr. BING Zhi and 16 Academicians of CAS. Our predecessors at IOZ have established many branches of zoology in China, and have made important contributions to national natural resource investigation, nature reserve establishment, pest insect and rodent management, conservation of rare and endangered animals, reproductive biology, and contraceptive medicine.

In serving the national campaigns such as a “Healthy China” and a “Beautiful China", along with a vision of “building a shared future for humankind”, IOZ carries out basic, prospective and strategic research and conducts core technological research and development to lead in the modern zoological sciences. IOZ centers its research around wild animals and model animal systems, explores major scientific areas such as animal resources and systematics, reproduction and development, evolution and adaptation, aging and disease, behavior and regulation, animal conservation and pest control, development and utilization. IOZ also focuses on the world leading science and technology achievements, and the major needs of China and the national economy in the fields of human health, modern agriculture and biodiversity conservation. In the research theme of “birth, aging and disease”, IOZ makes efforts to build a world-leading center for research, application and transformation of life sciences with significant international influence in areas such as stem cell and regenerative medicine, playing a leading role in improving China’s innovation ability in the field of life and health sciences, driving industrial development, and ensuring population health. Within the themes of “agricultural pests, natural enemies and pest management”, IOZ has constructed an integrated innovation chain of “theory - technology - product - demonstration and application”. This represents a leading international center for pest disaster and management research with an institute marked by creativity and innovations, and a mission that aims for a “Chinese plan” for accurate and effective pest control. For the themes including evolution and conservation of animal diversity, IOZ takes full advantage of its prime placement playing a leading role in global animal diversity conservation research, while building a world-class, unique biological research innovation center for endangered animal conservation and a science center for animal systematics and preservation, injecting Chinese wisdom into the efforts of the global community.

IOZ has a world class talent team, with 429 employees, 154 postdoctoral researchers and 824 graduate students. Among them are 3 Academicians of CAS, 25 winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, and 18 winners of Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars. During the “13^th Five-Year Plan” period, a number of the internationally renowned research results have been achieved in the fields of stem cells and regeneration, reproductive health, aging and disease, pest and rodent control, species endangerment mechanisms and protection, as well as animal systematics. Since 1978, IOZ has won 22 National Natural Science Awards and National Science and Technology Progress Awards (wherein IOZ was the first contributor in 10 projects).

The report of the 20^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China highlighted that education, science and technology, and talents are the essential and strategic foundations for building a modern socialist country in all respects. With science and technology as the primary productive force, talent as the primary resource, and innovation as the primary driving force, we will explore new areas and devise new paths of development. We will show consistency in fostering novel fields and developmental strengths, by the earnest implementation of strategies that will invigorate China with science, education and the fostering of human resources, and by driving development via innovation. Innovation will be at the core of China’s modernization drive. In addition, we will center on the frontiers of global science and technology, the main battleground of economic development, the major needs of the country, the well-being of the people, acceleratingus towards self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology. Guided bynational strategic needs, we will pool our strengths in order to tackle key scientific and technological problems in a pioneering and leading way, and to resolutely win the battle of leading development of core technologies.

In the future, all staff of IOZ will follow the principles of “possessing self-confidence, self-reliance, guarding integrity, building innovation, summoning of courage for fulfilling tasks, and in forging ahead vigorously”, and will adhere to the mission of contributing to the main force of national strategic science and technology. Cherishing a sense of responsibility in "always keeping it in mind”, we will strive to meet the targets proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping for the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which require us to take the lead in achieving the “four targets” (achieving the leaping development in science and technology, building up a wealth of innovative talents, establishing a national high-level talent pool for science and technology, and building an international first-class scientific research institution), and the “two improvements” (to improve on both creating a wellspring of original innovation, and to improve capacity for making breakthroughs in key and core technologies) and the “one expectation” (the expectation to seize the greatest heights of science and technology). We will transform the spirit of the 20^th National Congress of CPC into a powerful driving force to advance all our work. We will focus on our main responsibilities and duties. We will pay close attention to the implementation of our work, and we will dutifully contribute our innovative spirit as we progress towards building a modern socialist country in all respects, helping promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

QIAO Gexia

Director

Institute of Zoology

Chinese Academy of Sciences