Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Foreign Member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), Foreign Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), CAS Distinguished Professor, and Chair Professor of the Faculty of Synthetic Biology at Shenzhen University of Technology. Kang Le is an internationally renowned and recognized ecological genomic scientist. After obtaining his doctoral degree from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1990, he has been engaged in scientific research at the Institute of Zoology, CAS, focusing primarily on eco-genomics and animal adaptation.

As a former Chief Scientist of China’s National Basic Research Program (973 Program) and Academic Leader of a National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Innovation Team, he has served as Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Board member for several important international academic journals. By integrating genomics with ecology, he has conducted systematic research on animal adaptation and phenotypic plasticity through multiple disciplinary methods. He has published over 300 SCI-indexed papers in prestigious journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Genetics, Nature Ecology & Evolution, Science Advances, PNAS, EMBO J etc. Recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher in Agriculture and Biology (Scopus) by Elsevier, he is also a Faculty Member and Advisory Board Member of F1000.

Since 1993, he has received multiple national and international scientific awards. In 2009, he was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Nebraska, USA. In 2019, he was elected Vice President of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) and Chair of its Chinese National Committee. In 2022, he became Vice Chair of the Chinese National Committee of the International Science Council (ISC).

As a senior professor, Kang Le has trained more than 100 doctoral and master’s students, as well as 16 postdoctoral researchers. Many of them have become key academic leaders and experts in China, including recipients of national talent programs, research fellows, professors, and awardees of the National Youth Science Award, as well as grantees of the National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation and National Excellent Youth Science Foundation.

1) Ecological Genomics: Conducting systematic research on the genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic mechanisms underlying insects' adaptation to environmental changes.

2) Phenotypic Plasticity: Using locusts as a model organism, investigating non-genetic polymorphism and the plasticity of ecological immunity, reproduction, senescence, and behavior, providing a foundation for establishing related disease models.

3) Development and Innovation of Fungal Insecticides: Developing novel fungal insecticides and related production technologies through synthetic biology and genetic modification techniques.

Professional Experience

September 2024-Present: Director, Institute of Cell and Gene Technology, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology

June 2024-Present: Chair Professor, Faculty of Synthetic Biology,Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology

June 2017-December 2023: President, Hebei University

July 2012-September 2017: Director, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

2015-Present: Distinguished Research Fellow, Chinese Academy of Sciences

April 2009-Present: Director, Beijing Institute of Life Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences

October 1999-December 2011: Director, State Key Laboratory of Zoology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

January 1999-January 2008: Deputy Director & Director, Bureau of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

November 1995-Present: Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Awards and Honors

2011: Ho Leung Ho Lee Prize for Advancement in Life Science and Technology

2013: Distinguished Scientist Award conferred by the Entomological Society of America

2015: Eighth Tang Jiazhen Life Science Achievement Award

2017: Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award

2017: Outstanding Achievement Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

2019: Ma Shijun Ecological Science Achievement Award

2021: Silverstein-Simoni Award of the International Society for Chemical Ecology

2022: National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award

2023: Li Pei Teaching Master Award

Representative Publications

1. Guo, X.J., Gao, L., Li, S.W., Gao, J., Wang, Lv, J., Wei, J.Y., Yang, J., Ke, H., Ding, Q., Yang, J., Guo, F.S., Zhang, H.W., Lei, X.G., and Kang*, L., 2025. Decoding 4-vinylanisole biosynthesis and pivotal enzymes in locusts. Nature,(25 June, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09110-y

2. Li, X., Jiang, F., Liu, Q., Zhang, Z., Fang, W.J., Wang, Y.T., Liu, H.R., Kang*, L., 2025. GAF-dependent chromatin plasticity determines promoter usage to mediate locust gregarious behavior.The EMBO Journal 44(10): 2928-2948.

3. Liu, Q., Jiang, F., Li, R., Liu, S.L., Fang, W.J., Li, X., Hu, T., Feng, L., Zhang, J., Liu, Z.K., He, J., Guo, W., Wang, X.H., Sun, Z.Y., Li, J.J., Gao, Y.N., Yi J.C., Li, Q.Y., Wang, X.X., Wei, L.Y., Kang*, L., 2025, Chromatin dynamics of a large-sized genome provides insights into polyphenism and X0 dosage compensation of locusts.Nature Genetics, Accepted.

4. Li, J., Li, J.J., Cao, L.L., Chen, Q.H., Ding*, D., and Kang*, L., 2024. An iron-binding protein of entomopathogenic fungus suppresses the proliferation of host symbiotic bacteria.Microbiome，12:202

5. Kang, X.L., Yang, M.L., Cui, X.S., Wang, H.M., Kang, L., 2023. Spatially differential regulation of ATF2 phosphorylation contributes to warning coloration of gregarious locusts.Science Advances, 9: eadi5168.

6. Guo, S.Y., Hou, L., Dong, L.S., Nie, X., Kang, L., Wang, X.H., 2023. PLIN2-induced ectopic lipid accumulation promotes muscle aging in gregarious locusts.Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7 (6): 914–925.

7. Liu, Q., Cui, F., Liu, X., Fu, Y., Fang, W., Kang, X.,...Kang,L.,& Jiang F,.2023. Association of virome dynamics with mosquito species and environmental factors.Microbiome, 11 (1): 101.

8. Guo, X.J., Yu, Q.Q., Chen, D.F., Wei, J.N., Yang, P.C., Yu, J., Wang, X.H., Kang, L., 2020. 4-Vinylanisole is an aggregation pheromone in locusts.Nature, 584 (7822): 584–588.

9. Chang, H.T., Cassau, S., Krieger, J., et al., 2023. A chemical defense deters cannibalism in migratory locusts.Science, 380: 537–542.

10. He, J., Zhu, Y.N., Wang, B.C., Yang, P.C., Guo, W., Liang, B., Jiang, F., Wang, H.M., Wei, Y.Y., Kang, L. 2022. piRNA-guided intron removal from pre-mRNAs regulates density-dependent reproductive strategy.Cell Reports, 39 (4): 110593.

11. Wei, J.N., Shao, W.B., Cao, M.M., Ge, J., Yang, P.C., Chen, L., Wang, X.H., Kang, L., 2019. Phenylacetonitrile in locusts facilitates an antipredator defense by acting as an olfactory aposematic signal and cyanide precursor.Science Advances, 4: DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav5495.

12. Du, B.Z., Ding, D., Ma, C., Guo, W., Kang, L., 2021, Locust density shapes energy metabolism and oxidative stress resulting in divergence of flight traits.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 119 (1): e2115753118, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115753118. (From the Cover)

13. Wang, YD., Tong, X.W., Yuan, S.L., Yang, P.C., Li, L., Zhao, Y., Kang, L., 2022. Variation of TNF modulates cellular immunity of gregarious and solitary locusts against fungal pathogenMetarhizium Anisopliae.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 119, doi:10.1073/pnas.2120835119.

14. Chen, B., Tong, X.W., Zhang, X., Gui, W.Y., Ai, G.M., Huang, L.H., Ding, D., Zhang, J.X., Kang, L., 2021, Sulfation modification of dopamine in brain regulates aggregative behavior of animals.National Science Review, doi.org/10.0193/nsr/nwab163.

15. Wang, X.H., Fang, X.D., Yang, P.C.,……., and Kang, L. 2014. The locust genome provides insight into swarm formation and long-distance flight.Nature Communication, 5: 2957.

16. He, J., Chen, Q.Q., Wei, Y.Y., Jiang, F., Yang, M.L., Hao, S.G., Guo, X.J., Chen, D.H., and Kang, L. 2016. MicroRNA-276 promotes egg-hatching synchrony by up-regulatingbrmin locusts.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 113: 584-589.

17. Wu, R., Wu, Z.M., Wang, X.H., Yang, P.C., Yu, D., Zhao, C.X., Xu, G.W., and Kang, L. 2012. Metabolomic analysis reveals that carnitines are key regulatory metabolites in phase transition of the locusts.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 109: 3259-3263.

18. Ma, Z.Y., Guo, W., Guo, X.J., Wang, X.H. and Kang, L. 2011. Modulation of behavioral phase changes of the migratory locust by the catecholamine metabolic pathway.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 108: 3882-3887.

19. Wei, Y.Y., Chen, S., Yang, P.C., Ma, Z.Y., Kang, L., 2009. Characterization and comparative profiling of the small RNA transcriptomes in two phases of locust.Genome Biology,10: R6.

20. Cease, A.J., Elser, J.J., Ford, C.F., Hao, S.G., Kang, L., and Harrison, J.F. 2012. Heavy livestock grazing promotes locust outbreaks by lowering plant nitrogen content.Science, 335: 467-469.