Current Members
Wenhao Yan
Professor of Wheat Genetics | Vice Dean College of Plant Science and Technology & College of Bio-X at Huazhong Agricultural University, Vice Director of Hubei Hongshan Laboratory.
Wenhao’s research background spans classical genetics, developmental biology, genomics, transcriptional regulation, evolutionary biology, and artificial intelligence. During his graduate studies at Huazhong Agricultural University, he focused on dissecting the genetic basis of rice yield and cloned key QTLs controlling flowering time and yield, including Ghd7-2 and Ghd8. He then spent six years as a postdoctoral researcher in Germany in the laboratory of Kerstin Kaufmann, where he investigated epigenetic mechanisms and gene regulatory networks underlying floral development. During this period, he gained expertise in big data techniques and became one of the first plant researchers to apply CRISPR technology. In 2019, he returned to China and established a research group dedicated to studying the genetic and regulatory basis of high yield and broad adaptability in wheat. Over the years, his group has developed a proprietary wheat genetic transformation system, established integrated platforms for studying transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, single-cell technologies, and big data analysis. He finished the first gap-free T2T genome assembly of cultivated wheat. The group has also dissected the genetic architecture of key traits such as vernalization, spike development, and grain size.
Currently, the group focuses on deciphering the genetic basis of high yield and environmental adaptability—particularly to temperature fluctuations and diseases represented by Fusarium head blight—by identifying key genes, designing optimal regulatory networks, and innovating breeding strategies. Wenhao aims to generate elite germplasm and provide conceptual and technological innovations to support food security in the context of climate change.
Associate Professor
Chao He
Over the past five years, a highly efficient gRNA design tool for wheat has been developed, enabling the first single-cell analysis of the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying wheat root vascular cell development. Integration of genetic variation with gene expression regulation has led to the discovery of novel genes affecting wheat yield and quality traits, providing targets for genomic design and breeding of key agronomic traits. Current research focuses on leveraging big data to develop artificial intelligence algorithms for the creation of new wheat germplasm with improved yield and disease resistance.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Yunzhen Li
Genetics and Epigenetics of Wheat Yield
Yequn Wu
The balance between wheat vernalization and cold resistance
Tianqi Song
Molecular Biology of Wheat Adaptation
Ziru Zhou
Research on the construction of transgenic wheat system and the mechanism of callus regeneration.
PhD
Ankui Liu
Adaptation of wheat to light and temperature and regulation of wheat ear development.
Jiacheng Zhou
Application of gene editing technology in wheat cold tolerance.
Yating Wang
Cloning and Functional Study of QTL for Wheat Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight
Yuning Shen
Multi-omics big data analysis, machine learning, and large models
Yuqi Li
Crop Genetic Breeding
Kening Duo
Multi-gene editing to improve the plant type of wheat
Xinqi Dong
The plant type structure of wheat
Hairong Yin
Gene Editing - Large Fragment Knock-In
Xinyi Chen
No-Trace Gene Editing Technology
Sixian Liu
Yutian Han
Crop Genetic Breeding
Xinyu Liu
Wheat quality selection and genetic breeding, smart breeding
Feng Jiang
Research on brewing raw material breeding
Master
Yuwen Gao
Plant disease resistance breeding, fusarium disease, single-cell small RNA
Yaochen Wang
Wheat Gene Editing
Wenna Wang
Wheat Fusarium head blight
Qing Liu
Single-cell spatial transcriptomics of wheat spike development
Chengjun Xu
Crop Genomics
Heping Zhang
AI,Protein and Webs
Siqi Wu
Wheat powdery mildew resistance gene Pm21 related
Yu Feng
Gene Editing
Wenhui Zhao
High nitrogen efficiency in wheat
Shuaihao He
Analysis of the genetic basis of yield and resistance to Fusarium head blight in wheat.
Yuxuan Xu
Xindi Wang
Xinyu Wang
Luxuan Li
Hui Gong
Jihao Guo
Yanzhou Hu
Yakun Fang
Saishuang Gu
Haotian Tu
Junlong Tao
Ziqian Wang
this web
| Name | Graduation Year | Position | Current Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chuanye Chen | 2022 | Master | Pursuing a PhD at Huazhong Agricultural University |
| Tianliang Lu | 2022 | Master | Beijing Xunyin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. |
| Xin Wang | 2022 | Master | PhD at Beijing Genomics Institute |
| Lihua Zhang | 2023 | PhD Student | Yazhou Bay Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| Chunjie Zhao | 2023 | Doctor | |
| Mengxin Wang | 2023 | Master | |
| Yuting Lai | 2023 | Master | PhD at Humboldt University of Berlin |
| Zhonghao Ruan | 2023 | Undergraduate | Master at Nanjing University |
| Guo Ai | 2024 | PhD Student | Zhejiang Province Institute of Landscaping Plants and Flowers |
| Siteng Bi | 2024 | Master | Pursuing a PhD at Southern University of Science and Technology |
| Yanyan Liu | 2024 | PhD Student | Person in charge of Hongshan Laboratory Platform |
| Xintong Xu | 2024 | Doctor | Postdoctoral Fellow at Shenzhen University |
| Xin Gong | 2025 | Master | Hunan Selected Cadres |
| Liujie Jin | 2025 | Doctor | Associate Researcher at the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences |
| Junnan Jiao | 2025 | Master | |
| Sulaiman Saeed | 2025 | Master | Pursuing a PhD at Huazhong Agricultural University |