Kang Le

Ph.D., Professor, CASM

Institute of Zoology, CAS, China

Resume

Dr. Kang Le as an internationally recognized scientist in ecological genomics of insects, is a distinguished professor of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also president of Beijing Institutes of Life Science, CAS, president of Hebei University, as well as the dean of Department of Life Sciences of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He successfully resolves the ecological questions of insect adaptation to environmental variation with the model of the migratory locust, a worldwide notorious pest species, by integrating multiple approaches from molecular biology, physiology to genomics. He makes an outstanding accomplishment in disclosing the molecular regulatory mechanisms and epigenetic modulation of locust phase changes, which are very typically phenotypical plasticity in insects. He has authored about 200 research papers in international peer-review journals, such as Science, Nature Communications, Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (USA), and Annual Review of Entomology etc.. His papers were cited over 4800 times and several flagship papers were recommended for reading by F1000. He is ranked the most cited scientists in agriculture and biology by Elsevier (Scopus 2014-2017). The University of Nebraska conferred him upon Honored Doctor Degree of Science in 2009. Dr. Kang was elected to be member of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011, member of the Developing World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) in 2012, and academician of International Eurasian of Sciences (IEAS). He received several important awards including the prestigious Life Science & Biotechnology Prize, Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation (Hongkong) in 2011, the International Distinguished Scientist Award of the Entomological Society of USA in 2013, and Tan’s Achievement Award for Life Sciences and fellow of Entomological Society of America in 2015. In 2017, he is awarded with the National Prize (Second class) of Natural Sciences and Scientific Achievement Prize of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Research Interest

1. Eco-genomics: Discover the mechanisms of insect adaptation to environmental factors using genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic approaches. 
2. Phenotypic plasticity: Study the polyphenism, ecological immunity, reproductive biology, ageing, and behavioral plasticity in response to population density and environmental changes in order to develop model systems related to human disease and health. 
3. Neuroscience and behavior: Elucidate the neural and behavioral mechanisms in response to pheromones and inform-chemicals from intraspecific or inter-specific individuals, even in tri-trophic level system.

Selected Publications

1. Guo X.J., Ma Z.Y., Yang P.C., Kang L. 2018, Dop1 enhances conspecific olfactory attraction by inhibiting miR-9a maturation in locusts. Nature Communication. DOI : 10.1038/s41467-018-03437-z 
2. Chen B. , Zhang B. , Xu L.L., Li Q., Jiang F., Yang P.C., Xu Y.N., Kang L.2017. Transposable Element-Mediated Balancing Selection at Hsp90 Underlies Embryo Developmental Variation. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 34(5):1127-1139. 
3. Hou L., Yang P.C., Jiang F., Liu Q. Wang X.H., Kang L. 2017. The neuropeptide F/nitric oxide pathway is essential for shaping locomotor plasticity underlying locust phase transition. eLife, 6:e22526.DOI:10.7554/eLife.22526 
4. Wang W, Zhao W, Li J, Luo L., Kang L., Cui F. 2017. The c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway of a vector insect is activated by virus capsid protein and promotes viral replication. eLife. 6: e26591. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.26591. 
5. Chen B. ①, Ma R.H. ①., Ding D., Wei L.Y. Kang L.2017. Aerobic respiration by hemocyanin in the embryo of the migratory locust. Insect Molecular Biology, 26(4):461-468. 
6. Wang Z.M., Yang L.B., Song J.S., Kang L., Zhou S.T.2017. An Isoform of Taiman that Contains a PRD-Repeat Motif Is Indispensable for Transducing the Vitellogenic Juvenile Hormone Signal in Locusta migratoria. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 82: 31-40 
7. Luo M.W., Li D, Wang Z.M., Guo W, Kang L., Zhou S.T.2017.Juvenile Hormone Differentially Regulates Two Grp78 Genes Encoding Protein Chaperones Required for Insect Fat Body Cell Homeostasis and Vitellogenesis. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 292(21): 8823-8834 
8. Jiang F. ①, Liu Q. ①, Wang Y.L., Zhang J., Wang H.M., Song T.Q., Yang M.L., Wang X.H., Kang L. 2017. Comparative genomic analysis of SET-domain family reveals the origin, expansion, and putative function of the arthropod-specific SmydA genes as histone modifiers in insects. GigaScience, DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/gix031 
9. Zhu J.J.①，Jiang F. ①, Wang X.H., Yang P.C., Zhao W, Wang W, Kang L., Cui F. 2017. Genome Sequence of the Small Brown Planthopper Laodelphax striatellus. GigaScience, doi: 10.1093/gigascience/gix109 
10. Wei J.N., Shao W.B., Wang X.H., Ge J., Chen X.Y., Yu D., Kang L. 2017. Composition and emission dynamics of migratory locust volatiles in response to changes in developmental stages and population density. Insect Science 24(1): 60-72. 
11. Cui N. ①, Yang P.C. ①, Guo K., Kang L., Cui F. 2017. Large-Scale Gene Expression Reveals Different Adaptations of Hyalopterus persikonus to Winter and Summer Host Plants. Insect Science 24(3): 431-442. 
12. Hou L., Yang P.C., Jiang F., Liu Q. Wang X.H., Kang L. 2017. The neuropeptide F/nitric oxide pathway is essential for shaping locomotor plasticity underlying locust phase transition. eLife, DOI:10.7554/eLife.22526 
13. Chen B., Zhang B., Xu L.L., Li Q., Jiang F., Yang P.C., Xu Y.N., Kang L., 2017. Transposable Element-Mediated Balancing Selection at Hsp90 Underlies Embryo Developmental Variation. Molecular Biology and Evolution. doi:10.1093/molbev/msx062 
14. Jiang F. ①, Liu Q. ①, Wang Y.L., Zhang J., Wang H.M., Song T.Q., Yang M.L., Wang X.H., Kang L. 2017. Comparative genomic analysis of SET-domain family reveals the origin, expansion, and putative function of the arthropod-specific SmydA genes as histone modifiers in insects. GigaScience, DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/gix031 
15. He, J. ①, Chen, Q.Q. ①, Wei, Y.Y. ①, Jiang, F., Yang, M.L., Hao, S.G., Guo, X.J., Chen, D.F., Kang, L. 2016.MicroRNA-276 promotes egg hat ching synchrony by upregulating brm in locusts. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 113:584-589. 
16. Yang M.L. ①, Wang Y.L. ①, Jiang F., Song T.Q., Wang H.M., Liu Q, Zhang J., Zhang J.Z.., Kang L., 2016. miR-71 and miR-263 Jointly Regulate Target Genes Chitin synthase and Chitinase to Control Locust Molting. PLoS Genetics 12：e1006257. 
17. Wang,X.H., Kang,L. 2014.Molecular mechanisms of phase change in locusts. Annual Review of Entomology, 59:225-43. 
18. Wang, X.H. ①, Fang, X.D. ①, Yang, P.C. ①, Jiang, X.T. ①, Jiang, F. ①, Zhao, D.J., Li B., Cui, F., Wei, J.N., Ma, C., Wang, Y.D., He, J., Luo Y., Wang, Z.F., Guo, X.J., Guo W., Wang X., Zhang Y., Yang M.L., Hao S.G., Chen B., Ma Z.Y., Yu D., Xiong Z., Zhu Y., Fan D., Han L., Wang B., Chen Y., Wang J., Yang L., Zhao W., Feng Y., Chen G., Lian J., Li Q., Huang Z., Yao X., Lv N., Zhang G., Li Y., Wang J., Wang, J., Zhu B. Kang, L., 2014. Locust genome sequence provides insight into swarm formation and long-distance flight. Nature Communications, 10.1038/ncomms3957. 
19. Yang, M.L.①, Wei, Y.Y.①, Jiang, F.①, Wang, Y.L., Guo, X.J., He, J., Kang, L. 2014. MicroRNA-133 Inhibits Behavioral Aggregation by Controlling Dopamine Synthesis in Locusts. PLoS Genetics，10(2): e1004206. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1004206 
20. Wang, Y.D., Yang, P.C., Cui, F., Kang, L. 2013. Altered Immunity in Crowded Locust Reduced Fungal (Metarhizium anisopliae) Pathogenesis. PLoS Pathogens, DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003102. 
21. Wei, J.N, Yang, L.H, Ren, Q, Li, CY, Ge, F., Kang, L.2013. Antagonism between plant odors and trichomes affects tritrophic interactions. Plant Cell & Environment, 36, 315-327. 
22. Cease, AJ, Elser, JJ, Ford, CF, Hao, S., Kang, L, Harrison*, JF. 2012. Heavy livestock grazing promotes locust outbreaks by lowering plant nitrogen content. Science, 335, 467-469. 
23. 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 National Academy of Sciences (USA), 109, 3259-3263. 
24. Ma, ZY, Guo, XJ, Guo, W, Wang, XH, Kang, L. 2011. Modulation of behavioral phase changes of the migratory locust by the catecholamine metabolic pathway. Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (USA), 108: 3882-3887. 
25. Guo, W, Wang, XH, Ma, Z.Y., Xue, L., Han, J.Y., Yu, D., and Kang, L. 2011. CSP and takeout genes modulate the switch between attraction and repulsion during behavioral phase change in the migratory locust. PLoS Genetics, 7(2): e1001291, 1-13. 
26. Wei, J.N., Wang, L.Z., Zhao, J.H., Li, C.Y., Ge, F. and Kang, L., 2011. Ecological trade-offs between jasmonic acid-dependent direct and indirect plant defences in tritrophic interactions. New phytologist, 189: 557–567. 
27. Zhang, Y., Wang, X.H., and Kang, L., 2011. A k-mer scheme to predict piRNAs and characterize locust piRNAs. Bioinformatics, 27(6)771–776. 
28. Kang, L., Chen, B., Wei, J.N. and Liu, T.X., 2009. Roles of Thermal Adaptation and Chemical Ecology in Liriomyza Distribution and Control. Annual Review of Entomology, 54:127-145. 
29. Wei, Y.Y., Chen, S., Yang P.C., Kang, L., 2009. Characterization and transcriptomes of small RNAs in two phases of locust. Genome Biology, 10:R6l (doi:10.1186/gb-2009-10-1-r6). 
30. Kang, L., Han, X.G., Zhang, Z.B. and Sun, O. J., 2007, Grassland ecosystems in China: Review of current knowledge and research advancement. Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc., 362:997-1008. 
31. Kang, L., Chen, X.Y., Zhou, Y., Zheng, W., Li R.Q., Wang, J. and Yu, J. 2004. The analysis of large-scale gene expression correlated to the phase changes of the migratory locust.Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 101: 17611-17615.