Recently, Prof. Yuchi Zhiguang of SPST was invited to the University of Cambridge, UK, to attend the international conference “Control of Human Disease Vectors, Pests and Parasites” and deliver a plenary lecture. In his talk, Prof. Yuchi systematically presented the latest advances from his group in four key areas: (i) structural studies of disease and insecticide target proteins, (ii) optimization of peptides and small-molecule ligands, (iii) AI-driven drug-screening and design, and (iv) synthetic-biology-enabled development. Using cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography and computational simulations, the team elucidated the binding mechanisms between target proteins and key regulatory molecules, and clarified how resistance mutations affect drug efficacy. The presentation closely matched the conference theme, attracted broad attention from delegates, showcased the School’s strength in molecular drug design, and opened new avenues for international collaboration.

During the conference, Prof. Yuchi was also invited to Syngenta’s Global R&D Center in Berkshire, UK. He gave a special seminar, toured the state-of-the-art facilities, and held in-depth discussions with company scientists on emerging technologies and future joint projects. The School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology and Syngenta have long maintained a research partnership supported by joint programs; this visit further deepened bilateral cooperation in collaborative R&D and technology translation. The trip not only underscored the School’s international impact in target biology and molecular design, but also provided valuable experience for advancing research globalization, industry–academia integration, and innovation capacity building.