1. Research themes     

        Animal Diarrhoea Prevention and Control Innovative team has 25 staff members, including 4 Research Fellows, 9 Research Associates and 13 with doctor degrees. 3 postdoctorsand 30 postgraduate students. Investigation into the origins and molecular epidemiology, the pathogenesis and immune mechanisms, and comprehensive strategies for prevention and control of diarrhea diseases in animals.

2. Main research pathogens

    Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV)

    Porcine Deltacoronavirus  (PDCoV)

    Porcine rotavirus (PoRV)

    Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV)

    Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV)

    Bovine Coronavirus (BCoV)

    Lawsonia intracellularis and E. coli

3. Awards

    2022, Shennong Chinese Agricultural Science and Technology Award (Second Prize)

    2018, Jiangsu Agricultural Harvest Award (Second Prize)

    2019, China Industry University Research Cooperation Innovation Award

    2020, Invention Achievement Award of the China Invention Association (Second Prize)     

    17th Jiangsu Provincial Youth Science and Technology Award

    2021, Jiangsu Agricultural Society Technology Innovation Award (First Prize)

    Jiangsu Livestock and Veterinary Society Technology Promotion Award (First Prize)

4. Basic study

（1）Identified the main pathogens causing animal diarrhea and the genetic variation 

（2）Established the reverse genetic platform of coronavirus 

（3）Clarified the mechanism of novel virus replication-related host proteins 

（4）Explored the new immune escape strategies of coronavirus

       More than 100 papers have been published in Nature Communications, PNAS, PLoS Biology, mBio, JVI, JBC and other international journals. More than 20 authorized patents and 1 international patent.

5. International collaboration

      Established collaborative alliances with esteemed universities and research institutions globally, including Wageningen University in the Netherlands, Stanford University in the United States, and the University of Washington, to investigate coronaviruses.

      Engaged in visits and exchanges, cultivated postdoctoral fellows, and actively conducted scientific research, leading to the publication of multiple articles in esteemed publications such as PNAS, PLOS Pathogens, and J Biol Chem.

I.Team History and Overview:

       The Animal Mycoplasma innovation team of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences has a long history, originating from the "Swine Enzootic Pneumonia Prevention and Control Research Group" established by He Zhengli in 1958, with Jin Hongxiao, Shao Guoqing and Feng Zhixin as the team leaders. After four generations of research, we have successively developed safe and efficient live vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (168 strains), inactivated vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (NJ strain) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae ELISA antibody (sIgA) detection kits, all of which have achieved industrialization and application, breaking the monopoly of foreign inactivated vaccines on China's market. It promoted the progress of mycoplasma pneumonia prevention and control technology and the healthy development of pig industry. In 2022, the team integrated the research strength of mycoplasma in pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep, and set up an animal mycoplasma research center.

Team photo

1. Team Development

1958-1970, Research Group on prevention and control of Swine Enzootic Pneumonia Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Branch of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Leader: He Zhengli

1971-2002, Research Group on Swine Enzootic Pneumonia

Leader: Jin Hongxiao

2003-2004, 2nd Division of swine disease, the Institute of Veterinary Medicine was merged into Nanjing Tianbang Biotechnology Co., LTD.

2005-2011, Research group on  prevention and control of major livestock diseases, the Institute of Veterinary Medicine resumed non-profit research unit.

2012-2015, Laboratory for  major livestock diseases prevention and control 

Leader: Shao Guoqing

2016-2019, Laboratory for  swine disease prevention

2016-2020, The key discipline of Animal Mycoplasmas , JAAS

2020-2022.5,  Innovation team of animal Mycoplasma Infection and mucosal immune prevention and control, "Four-star Team" of JAAS, and joint-lab of animal mycoplasma with University of Technology Sydney, Australia

2022 -now, Innovation team of animal Mycoplasma (merged with swine, poultry and ruminant mycoplasmas), "Excellent Innovation Team" of JAAS, Animal Mycoplasma Research Center of JAAS

Leader: Feng Zhixin

2. Team personnel structure

Team Leader: Feng Zhixin

      Team leader Feng Zhixin, Doctor of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, researcher, graduate supervisor (Mississippi State University, USA, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Nanjing Agricultural University, etc.), young and middle-aged academic technology leaders of Jiangsu Province "333 High-level Talent Training Project" and "Six high-level talent Peaks" high-level talents. He is also the executive director of Mycoplasma Organization of Asia, the director of the Branch of Animal Infectious Diseases of the Chinese Society of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, the member of the Zoonotic etiology Committee of the Chinese Society of Microbiology, and the expert member of the Animal Epidemic Prevention Expert Advisory Committee of Jiangsu Province.

Team Assistant:

Research fellow Xiong Qiyan

Research fellow Liu Maojun

Research fellow Ouyang Wei

Research fellow Li Wenliang

Team Student Committee:

Director: Xiong Qiyan  Deputy Director: Ou Yangwei

Members (in alphabetical order by pinyin of last name) : Bai Yun, Chen Rong, Feng Zhixin, Liu Maojun, Li Wenliang, Shao Guoqing, Xie Xing, Xu Bin, Yu Yanfei, Zhang Zhenzhen

Team Members:

In the past five years（2020-2024）, the team has presided over and undertaken 32 projects at or above the national and provincial levels, including 11 projects of the National Natural Science Foundation and 7 projects of the National key research and development plan. The team has published 75 papers related to mycoplasma, including 36 SCI papers and 6 books. 43 national invention patents were authorized, including 2 European and American PCT patents; Six standards have been formulated.

II、Team research direction

     The team mainly focuses on animal mycoplasma research, and has three directions: etiology and immunology of animal mycoplasma disease, prevention and control technology and products of animal mycoplasma disease, epidemiology and clinical services of animal mycoplasma disease.

     1. Human and Animal mycoplasma disease etiology and immunology. The research focuses on the mechanism and platform technology of mycoplasma persistent infection in human, pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep, as well as the mechanism of co-infection with other respiratory pathogens.

     2. Animal mycoplasma disease prevention and control technology and products. Focus on the development of new vaccines, drugs and diagnostic reagents for mycoplasma disease in pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep, as well as related platform technologies.

     3. Epidemiology and clinical services of animal mycoplasma disease. The research and technical services focus on animal mycoplasma epidemiology resource and information database, pathogen detection and monitoring, comprehensive prevention and control and purification technology.

III. Team Achievements

In 1978

Science and Technology Award of Jiangsu Province

Cell-free culture medium and isolation technique for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

In 1981

Science and Technology Award of Jiangsu Province

Diagnosis and identification of swine enzootic pneumonia by microparticle agglutination,establish a healthy population free of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

In 1990

2nd Prize, Science and Technology Progress Award of Jiangsu Province

Studies on the cultivation and immunogenicity of attenuated strains of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

In 2007

National New Veterinary Drug Registration Certificate (Class II)

Live vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (168 strains)

In 2009

2nd Prize, Science and Technology Progress Award of Jiangsu Province 

Study on the development of the live vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (168 strains) and control technology

In 2011

1st Prize, China Agricultural Science and technology

Development of vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine and integrated application of comprehensive prevention and control technology

In 2011

The 5th China Technology Market Association Golden Bridge Award

Live vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (168 strains)

In 2015

2nd Prize, National Technological Invention Award

Development and application of safe and efficient live vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine

In 2015

The 17th China Patent Excellence Award

An attenuated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strain

In 2018

National New Veterinary Drug Registration Certificate (Class III)

The ELISA Kit for Detection of sIgA-Antibody against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

In 2018

National New Veterinary Drug Registration Certificate (Class III)

Inactivated Vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (NJ strain)

In 2020

1st prize, Science and Technology Award of Jiangsu Science and Technology Consulting Association

Innovation and application of mucosal diagnostic technology for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae 

In 2021

Excellent Innovation Team Prize, China Agricultural Science and Technology Award

In 2022

DBN Agriculture Science and Technology Award

Establishment of aerosol immunization technology for swine vaccine

       In the past five years, the team has presided over and undertaken 32 projects at or above the national and provincial levels, including 11 projects of the National Natural Science Foundation and 7 projects of the National key research and development plan. The team has published 75 papers related to mycoplasma, including 36 SCI papers and 6 books. 43 national invention patents were authorized, including 2 European and American PCT patents; Six standards have been formulated.

IV. International cooperation

1.     Positions in International Mycoplasma Organization

Dr. Shao Guoqing, the president of Asia Mycoplasma Organization (AOM) (2018-present)

Dr. Feng Zhixin, the executive director of Mycoplasma Organization of Asia (AOM)

Team members continue to participate in international mycoplasma conferences for communication and have given conference presentations multiple times.

The president of Asia Mycoplasma Organization (AOM)

Attend IOM2023 meetings and give conference presentations

2.    Hosting international conferences and academic forums

The 8th AOM Congress and the 9th COM Congress, 2021

The first International Forum on Swine Mycoplasmas, 2016

3.    Establishing international joint laboratory

Joint Laboratory for Animal Mycoplasma Research, JAAS-University of Technology Sydney (Australia)

International Joint Laboratory for Animal Disease Research, JAAS-Mississippi State University (USA)

4.   Hosting international cooperation projects

National Key Research and Development intergovernmental large-scale industry-university-research project between China and South Korea (JAAS- Korea University,  2020-2023)

5.    Joint training of doctoral students and mutual visits

Conducted exchanges and visits of scientific and technological personnel with Mississippi State University (USA), Korea University (South Korea), etc.

Joint training for graduate students: 5 PhD students and 1 master's student (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

6.   Cooperation with international animal health enterprises

The team has maintained good cooperative relationships with multiple international animal health enterprises for a long time, such as MSD, Meria, Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, etc., conducting horizontal research projects and technical services.

V. Team management and culture

Vision: To build a professional international excellent mycoplasma research team

Mission: Inheritance and development of animal mycoplasma discipline

Spirit: Happiness, health, truth, simplicity

Code of Conduct: Rely on norms and oneself; succeed by doing everything well 

Slogan: Common goals, common interests, common destiny

       Team operation adopts Dingding and Teambition software to achieve efficient and convenient working mode anytime, anywhere, and improve team communication and collaboration efficiency. The research team and PI system shall be established in the project execution, and PI shall be set up in each team to take charge of project communication and promotion, and carry out regular project reporting and discussion.

        The team holds a learning team building meeting every 1-2 years to create a good atmosphere of team coordination and standardized management; Advocate team members to persist in learning, sharing learning, so that learning becomes a life attitude; Guide team members to pursue the philosophy of "happiness, health, truth and simplicity", and the high sense of responsibility of "doing everything well is called success"; The idea of common goals, common interests and common destiny. Lead the team to gradually transform from a professional community to a business community and a community of destiny.

2010-2020 Learning team building:

The 1st 2010 "Excellent Staff Cultivation"

2nd 2012 "Set the Benchmark, Start from Scratch"

3rd 2013 "Clear focus, Self-examination, Improve ability"

The 4th 2014 "Normative Behavior, Target Learning, Guarantee focus"

5th 2016 "Faith, Innovation, Dedication"

6th 2017 "Existential Crisis and Common Goals"

The 7th 2020 "Never Forget the original heart, The heart is tied to the same place"

The 8th 2023 "Adhere to the original aspiration, firmly adhere to the mission; talk about methods, and seek a common vision"

1. Research themes  

Prevention and control of rabbit disease: etiology, genomics, rapid diagnosis and detection technology, epidemiology, pathogenic mechanism, infection and immune mechanism, vaccine development, comprehensive prevention and control technology of major rabbit diseases, etc., including Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (type 1 and type 2), Pasteurellosis, Bordetella bronchiseptica disease, Clostridum perfringens disease, and Salmonellosis.

  2. Current Members

11 staff members, including 2 professors, 4 associate professors, 7 with doctor degrees.

  3. Research Achievements

   (1)Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease subunit vaccine, Inactivated

Registration Certificate of New Veterinary Medicine, Class I(2017), selected as a major new scientific and technological product in China’s agriculture and rural affairs in 2020.

   (2)Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Baculovirus Vector Bivalent Vaccine，Inactivated

Passed an emergency evaluation organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China

   (3)Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Bivalent Vaccine, Inactivated

Passed an emergency evaluation organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China

4.International collaboration

Cooperation with WOAH Reference Laboratory of Rabbit hemorrhagic disease in Italy on the prevention and control of major rabbit diseases. Experts from both sides have carried out a series of cooperation in the form of visit and study, training exchange, joint publication of papers, publication of monographs, etc.

1. Research Areas

    •The epidemic of infectious diseases in ducks and geese,  and the  genetic variation of pathogens.    

    •The molecular basis of  infection, pathogenesis and immune response for the pathogens in  waterfowl. 

    •Development of diagnostic technology, vaccines, and antiviral antibodies to control these diseases in china.

  2.Current Members

    11 staff members, including 8 with doctor degrees.

  3.Research Achievement

   •Avian influenza disease virus, duck hepatitis A virus, duck reovirus, duck parvovirus, goose astrovirus, and tembusu virus; avian pathogenic E. coli and riemerella anatipestifer

   •The team achieved 5 authorized vaccine by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for avian influenza, duck viral hepatitis, duck infectious serositis, newcastle disease and avian infectious, and 6 patents.

   1. Research Areas  

Focuses on the prevention and treatment of dog and cat diseases, as well as the development of biologics.

      Basic research fields: molecular epidemiology and etiology, infection and immune mechanisms of canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus;

      Development of biologics : diagnosis kits, recombinant protein and antibody drugs, and engineered vaccines. 

  2. Current Members

      8 team members, 1 Professor, 3 associate professors and 5 PhD

   3. Development of biologics

• Diagnosis kits, recombinant protein, antibodies, and engineered vaccines. 

• Molecular diagnostic kits for more than 30 pathogens were developed , including dogs, cats, respiratory tract, digestive tract, insect borne and human pet borne diseases; 

•  Recombinant proteins and antibodies development platform for recombinant cytokines such as CSF, IFN, IL, neutralizing mAb such as CDV, CPV, FPV, and canine derived target blocking mAb such as PD-1 and NGF. 

•  Develop VLPs and other nanoparticle vaccines and FHV live vector multivalent vaccines. 

•  more than 20 national invention patents, 1 clinical trial approval  and 2 achievements transformation.

Veterinary Diagnostic Testing Center (VDTC) was established in March 2018, selected as the Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS). VDTC is the first laboratory from agricultural science research institutes, that has obtained qualifications of good clinical practice (GCP) as well as China Metrology Accreditation (CMA). VDTC serves as a Biosafety Level 2 Laboratory (BSL-2) and is qualified for African Swine Fever (ASF) inspection. As an independent third-party testing agency, it offers a range of diagnostic tests and services. Based on the technology advantages of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and adhering to the service tenet of “Integrity, science, accuracy and efficiency”, VDTC carries out the diagnosis and testing of swine, poultry, cattle, sheep, rabbit and other livestock and poultry epidemic diseases, as well as safety tests and efficiency tests of veterinary biologics, etc.

VDTC consists of a molecular biology diagnostic laboratory, a bacterial diagnostic laboratory, a virus diagnostic laboratory and a serological diagnostic laboratory, etc., equipped with advanced instruments for pathogeny, serology, molecular biology and physical and chemical detection. It has the capacity to carry out the independent diagnosis of various animal epidemics, antigen and antibody detection, drug sensitivity test, pathogen isolation and identification, etc., to provide scientific, accurate, fair and impartial test results for the clients.

Service Content:

1. Diagnosis, detection and identification of swine, poultry, cattle, sheep, rabbit and other animal epidemics and difficult diseases;

2. Detection of African swine fever (authorized by Jiangsu Provincial Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control);

3. Effect evaluation of livestock and poultry vaccines and monitoring of antibody levels;

4. Help breeding enterprises (households) to develop scientific and effective epidemic prevention, control and purification plans;

5. Guide breeding enterprises (households) in medication, disinfection, and biosafety;

6. Provide technical consultation, outpatient service and technical training for breeding enterprises (households);

7. Provide vocational skills training for veterinary practitioners on clinical diagnosis and laboratory testing of animal epidemics;

8. Provide one-stop, customized veterinary technical services for breeding enterprises (households);

9. Undertake the epidemic surveillance tasks of government departments, industry associations, etc.;

10. Organize domestic and foreign industry experts to hold knowledge lectures and technical training and build a communication platform for livestock and poultry breeding, epidemic prevention and control and related industrial chain.

Technical Service:

VDTC has carried out extensive foreign technology services, provided veterinary technical services to more than 500 farms and farmers in the province so far, and improved the direct economic benefits of related breeding enterprises by more than 50 million yuan through the implementation of science and technology projects and the promotion of epidemic prevention and control technologies. It has conducted more than 100 breeding technology training and lectures in various places of the province, trained over 8,000 trainees, and made a lot of contributions to promoting the development of breeding in the province and the increase of farmers income, receiving wide praise in the industry inside and outside the province.

Research Highlights:

Our recent work, published in International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (IF 10.8), investigates the effects of exogenous NO on PCV2 replication in vitro and provides a new potential antiviral therapy against PCV2 infection.