Doctor YANG Liang Wins Group’s Silver Prize in China Postdoctoral Innovation&Entrepreneurship Competition

Doctor YANG Liang and his team was awarded group’s silver prize for developing methods to remove mutant mitochondria in human cells in the 1st China Postdoctoral Innovation&Entrepreneurship Competition(POSTDOCINNO). 

Doctor YANG Liang and his team of Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health (GIBH) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) won group’s second place in the first POSTDOCINNO on December 20, 2021 as they have developed effective methods to remove mutant mitochondria for fighting against diseases and aging caused by the accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations.  

POSTDOCINNO has been the largest and highest level postdoctoral innovation and entrepreneurship competition since China’s implementation of postdoctoral system.  

Mitochondria play an essential role in the life activities of most eukaryotes like human beings. Their multiple functions include metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids and steroids and the production of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). However, as time goes by mitochondria are destined to suffer DNA mutations and other decay whose buildup leads to aging, diseases and functional imbalances in people’s body. 

In the competition, on the group topic of “Methods for Eliminating Mutated Mitochondria in Human Cells”, the team presented the plan of screening for anti-aging drug candidates that can effectively remove dysfunctional mitochondria during aging based on mitophagy. The plan manifested their previous research progress on mtDNA mutations exacerbating female reproductive aging and approaches to reduce or eliminate mtDNA mutations.  

The team was tutored by LIU Xingguo, principle investigator of GIBH. Members were YAO Deyang, RUAN Zifeng and HU Zhijuan, LI Yukun. 

Doctor YANG Liang Wins Group’s Silver Prize in China Postdoctoral Innovation&Entrepreneurship Competition(Photo by YANG Group)