On July 20, the national finals of the 10th National Life Science Competition for College Students (Scientific Inquiry Category) concluded at Yantai University. A team composed of Wu Haojun, Zhang Xinyu, Li Jiayu (23rd-grade students), and Bai Xinrui (24th-grade student) from the Bioscience (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) program stood out among 21,304 teams from 695 universities across the country. Their project, titled "Development of a Novel CRISPR/NhCas12a Dual-Enzyme Cascade Ultra-Sensitive Nucleic Acid Detection Platform Mediated by Heterocyclic DNA," oearned them the National Second Prize and the Guangdong Provincial First Prize.
The National Life Science Competition for College Students (CULSC) is a prestigious Class A competition recognized by the Ministry of Education and hosted by the National Life Science Competition Committee. It is regarded as one of the most valuable and high-impact events in the field of life sciences. The competition features two tracks: Scientific Inquiry and Innovation & Entrepreneurship, aiming to enhance students' research literacy and practical skills while fostering the continuous improvement of talent cultivation in life sciences.
Under the guidance of Professors Xie Xianrong and Zhu Qinlong from the College of Agriculture, the four team members meticulously prepared every stage of the project—from topic selection and experiments to the final presentation—refining their work to achieve outstanding results. In a post-competition interview, the students expressed gratitude for their advisors' dedicated guidance and encouragement. They shared that the experience significantly elevated their research capabilities and helped clarify their career aspirations, fueling their determination to delve deeper into cutting-edge fields and pursue their professional dreams.
In recent years, the college has actively encouraged students to participate in various academic competitions, research projects, and innovative practices. This year alone, students have secured notable achievements, including the National First Prize in the SAS China Data Analysis Competition and the Outstanding Award in the International Mathematical Contest in Modeling. Moving forward, the college remains committed to enhancing the quality of talent cultivation, refining its international education system, and supporting more students in scaling new heights and achieving greater success in their academic pursuits.
