Member 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, Prof. Kang 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.

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

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

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,DOI : 10.1038/s41588-025-02330-y. 

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. ang, J., He, H., Dong, S.J., Lv, J., Cheng, L.L., Yu, Q.Q., Kang*, L., Guo, X.J. 2025, Locusts adopt IP3 as a second messenger for olfactory signal transduction. Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads1352.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

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.