On Nov 16^th, Centre for Genetic Research was established in Campus Zijingang, Zhejiang University. The staff of the centre included the teachers from genetics and overseas alumni. Human genetics Prof. Minxin Guan from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA, and Visiting Professor of College of Life Science, Zhejiang University was appointed as Director of Centre for Genetic Research.

Chancellor Xi Zhang and Prof. Minxin Guan unveiled the plaque together. Vice Chairman of Development Commission and ex-Vice President Minjiang Ni was at present. Prof. Guan Zhu from Texas A&M University, Prof. Yiping Li from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Associate Prof. Yinong Yang from Penn State University, Associate Prof. Huangen Ding from Louisiana State University, Associate Prof. Wendong Huang from City of Hope National Medical Center and Prof. Minxin Guan were appointed as Visiting Professor of Zhejiang University. The duration is 3 years.

Genetics, a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms. Zhejiang University has a long history in genetics development. When the founder of Chinese modern genetics Mr. Jiazhen Tan was the professor of biology department, he started the education and research in genetics first and cultivated a group of famous geneticists like Daojue Xu, Lvjie Shi, Zujia Sheng and Zudong Liu. After 1950 Prof. Shiyi Chen was Director of biology department, who invented the yeast haploid cell copulation method. Now the genetics of Zhejiang University is a major discipline in Zhejiang Province.

The new established centre for Genetic Research is dedicated to the original research on the foundation and application of genetics, including Genomics and Microbial, Pathogen Genetics, Epigenetic and Plant and Animal Genetics, Genetics of Mitochondria and stem cell, Medical Genetics and so on.