Center for Infectious Disease Research

Director: Yigong Shi

Executive Director: Hongtao Yu

Center for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR) was established by Westlake University in response to the emerging global infectious diseases. Its mission aligns with the national strategic plan for prevention, treatment, and cures of major infectious diseases impacting people worldwide. It aims to make transformative scientific advances that lead to an understanding of a broad spectrum of infectious diseases focusing on coronavirus, influenza, avian influenza, swine influenza, and microbial infection. Through multidisciplinary collaboration, CIDR harbors six research areas, including epidemiology and application of innovative technologies in public health, pathophysiology and mechanisms of microbial infections, multi-level biomedical measurements and diagnostics, development of therapeutic antibodies and vaccines, small molecule drug discovery and development, as well as cutting-edge antimicrobial technology and medical device development. By integrating fundamental research, applied research, key technology development, clinical diagnosis and treatment, and translational research, CIDR makes a full spectrum of contributions to infectious disease prevention and treatment as well as biomedical industry development worldwide.

In five to ten years, CIDR strives to build a national-level platform with a core team of 30 to 40 internationally recognized researchers working collaboratively to build state-of-the-art facilities, including Pathogen/Protection level 3 (P3) laboratories as well as high-end research and development platform meeting the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standard. Spearheading groundbreaking research and developing cutting-edge key technology in biotechnology, biomedicine, and public health, CIDR can fulfill the mission of contributing to the improvement of our nation’s capacity of handling public health emergencies such as outbreaks of major infectious diseases.

Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine

Director: Hongtao Yu

Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine (WLLSB) was inaugurated in July 2020. It is one of the first research laboratories funded by the Zhejiang Provincial Government. Led by Westlake University, WLLSB focuses on aging and aging-related diseases, and actively promotes the construction of an innovative scientific research hub. WLLSB comprises four research centers: Center for Basic Research, Center for Biotechnology, Center for Translational Research and Center for Clinical Research. Through interdisciplinary research and interconnected innovation, the laboratory integrates basic research, translational research, key technology development, clinical diagnosis, and treatment, as well as commercialization and application of advances in science and technology. The laboratory develops a strategy emphasizing disease orientation, basic research, and multidisciplinary collaboration, striving to become a leader in the development of life sciences, a cradle of biomedical innovation, and a new engine for upgrading the bio-industry.

Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province

Laboratory Director: Yigong Shi

The research in the Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province is focusing on biomacro- molecular machines and membrane proteins related to important biological processes or human diseases. We are working to understand the assembly and regulation of biomacromolecular machines and the structure-function relationship of membrane proteins, and to explore their posttranslational modification and protein-protein interaction patterns under physiological and pathological conditions. Based on these studies, we are carrying out studies such as molecular dynamics simulation, protein design, small molecule tool design and drug development, with the aim of understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of human diseases and speeding up the development of effective treatments.

Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province

Laboratory Director: Tian Xu

The Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province was established in November 2019 with the approval of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology. With world-class research facilities from High Throughput Screening Platform, Mass Spectrometry Platform, and the Laboratory Animal Resource Center, the laboratory serves as a multidisciplinary hub to drive the full spectrum of growth regulation, genetic control, and translational research. The Academic Committee consists of both nationally and internationally renowned leading scientists and experts in related fields.

Revolving around “size control, growth regulation, and disease”, the Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province integrates basic theoretical research and translational research based on embryo growth control. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the laboratory incorporates research methods in Genetics, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics with Artificial Intelligence, Clinical Medicine, Neuropsychology, and Pharmacological Chemistry. The laboratory’s research mainly focuses on the following three areas: 1. Using drosophila as the animal model, the lab aims at discovering the mechanism of growth regulation. 2. The biological function and mechanism of size control and growth regulation of mammalian organs. 3. Development and advancement in disease diagnosis and treatment based on the mechanism of organ size control and growth regulation.