The All-China Women’s Federation hosted a prestigious ceremony in Beijing to celebrate International Women’s Day and honor outstanding female role models. A total of 606 individuals and 994 groups were recognized during the event. 

Three experts from the Biophysical Society of China (BSC) were honored with the National March 8 Red-banner Holder title. 

These outstanding female scientists have demonstrated remarkable achievements in their respective fields, setting an example of dedication and excellence for future generations of researchers and professionals. 

The National March 8 Red-banner Pacesetter and Collective titles represent the highest honor conferred by the All-China Women’s Federation upon outstanding women. Since its inception in 1960, the program has recognized tens of thousands of remarkable women for their contributions. 

Profiles of BSC experts honored as National March 8 Red-banner Holders

Yan Ning [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

Yan Ning is a committee member of the Cellular Calcium Signaling Academic Subgroup of the BSC, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), chair professor at Tsinghua University’s School of Life Sciences, founding president of Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation and director of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory. 

Yan focuses on the structural and mechanistic studies of transmembrane transport proteins, and pioneered in revealing the atomic-resolution structures of a series of transmembrane proteins with physiological and pathological significance, including human glucose transporters, eukaryotic voltage-gated sodium ion channels and calcium ion channels. Her groundbreaking work provides a molecular basis for understanding the pathogenesis of related diseases and for drug development. 

Duan Liping [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

Duan Liping serves as vice-president of the BSC’s Intestinal Flora Academic Subgroup, vice-president of Peking University Health Science Center and vice-dean of the Graduate School of Peking University. She is also deputy director of the Gastroenterology Department at Peking University Third Hospital. 

Duan specializes in gastroenterology research, particularly in gastrointestinal mucosal protection, neurogastroenterology, gastrointestinal microecology and functional gastrointestinal diseases. She was among the first in Peking University Third Hospital to introduce CO2 breath tests for detecting gastrointestinal diseases and established a dedicated gastrointestinal function examination room. 

Wu Wanying [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

Wu Wanying is a committee member of the BSC’s Metabonomics Academic Subgroup, as well as a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, CAS. She is also deputy director of the institute’s TCM Modernization Research Center.

Wu is dedicated to the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine and the development of modern Chinese medicine.