The establishment of Scientist Lab is an institutional innovation implemented by Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), which aims to stimulate the vitality of science through breaking disciplinary boundaries and encouraging self-management, free exploration, self-restraint as well as supplying broader space for interdisciplinary research. Scientist Lab is an independent scientific research institution under the administration of XJTU. The chief scientist takes full responsibility of the whole lab and it is vested with autonomy of self-management, plan making, staff recruitment and assessment as well as cultivating postgraduates.
Scientist Lab is operated in an objective-up, foundation-down model.
Currently, XJTU have set up two Scientist Labs which are named after two renowned scholars. One is Jia-Lab for Interface and Atomic Structure, the other is Ye-Lab for Omics and Omics Informatics.
Professor Jia Chunlin
from Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) instructs his team. Photo: Courtesy of XJTU
Professor Jia Chunlin is an internationally renowned expert in the field of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Being a senior scientist at the Institute of Microstructure Research of Jülich Research Centre in Germany, Jia is an academic leader of the research group on electroceramics. Before he joined XJTU, the research on microstructure of electronic materials in XJTU was weak. Academic Yao Xi of The School of Electronic and Information Engineering of XJTU proposed to establish the International Dielectric Center and looked for top talents who have made achievements in the field of microstructure research. Later, Jülich Research Centre and XJTU signed a strategic cooperation agreement and Jia began his scientific research life at XJTU.
"I felt the sincerity, courage and energy of XJTU, so I believe that it is right place for doing research," Jia said after working at XJTU. Presently, Jia is leading his team to carry out exploratory research and striving to create a world-class scientific innovation team. Recently, they have made great progress in development of materials for energy storage and flexible electronics.
Professor Ye Kai
from Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) instructs his team. Photo: Courtesy of XJTU
Professor Ye Kai has been focusing on the research of bioinformatics and genomics for many years. Before he came to XJTU, he worked at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "I have always wanted to form an interdisciplinary research team and establish an independent research direction in China. Here, XJTU provides me with a good platform. The idea of setting up Scientist Lab really attracts me."
Based on establishing big data in informatics, Ye-Lab for Omics and Omics Informatics is guided according to national demand for "Precision Medicine" to carry out interdisciplinary research on bioinformatics and genomics. Now, Ye is leading his team to focus on Belt and Road Initiative and conducting population studies, especially on the research of population genetic diseases. "I am a member of CPC. It is my responsibility to dedicate my scientific achievements to my country."
"It is not the physical space and the number of students but the scale of world-class scientists and academic masters that contributes to a great university. The goal of establishing Scientist Lab is to create world-class disciplines, talents and scientific highlands through stimulating innovative capabilities of research teams and encouraging scientists to drive the development of interdisciplinary research and new results," says Wang Shuguo, professor and president of Xi'an Jiaotong University.
附原文链接：http://epaper.globaltimes.cn/2017-09-22/P06.htm
