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

2. Team personnel structure

Senior Chief of the team: Prof. Shao Guoqing

      Shao Guoqing, senior chief of the team, second-level researcher, doctoral supervisor, President of Asia Mycoplasma Organization (AOM) (2018-present), the first-level training object of "333 High-level Talents" in Jiangsu Province (2016-2020). He has won the honorary titles of "Special Government Allowance" by The State Council; Jiangsu May 1st Labor Medal, Jiangsu Excellent Scientific and Technological Worker, and Jiangsu Young and middle-aged experts with outstanding contributions.

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

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. Animal mycoplasma disease etiology and immunology. The research focuses on the mechanism and platform technology of mycoplasma persistent infection in 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	Jiangsu Province Science and Technology Award Cell-free culture medium and isolation technique of Mycoplasma pneumoniae
In 1981	Jiangsu Province Science and Technology Award Diagnosis of swine enzootic pneumonia by microparticle agglutination, establish a healthy population free of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and strain identification
In 1990	Jiangsu Province Science and Technology progress Award 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	Jiangsu Province Science and Technology progress Award Study on the development of the live vaccine against Mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (168 strains) and control technology
In 2011	China Agricultural Science and technology first prize 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	The second prize of the State 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) Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae ELISA antibody (sIgA) detection kit
In 2018	National New Veterinary Drug Registration Certificate (Class III) Inactivated Vaccine against mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (NJ strain)
In 2020	First prize of 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 Award of Shennong China Agricultural Science and Technology Award
In 2022	Great Northern Agriculture Science and Technology Innovation 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  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

        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"