Introduction

Feng Zhou earned his bachelor’s degree from Anhui Agricultural University and completed his Ph.D. at Nanjing Agricultural University mentored by Prof. Jianmin Wan. His pioneering study on the strigolactone signaling pathway in rice was recognized as one of China’s Top 10 Scientific Advances in 2014. From 2015 to 2019, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, under the supervision of Prof. Niko Geldner, where he employed cutting-edge cellular-resolution imaging to investigate root immunity. In 2020, he established his independent research group at the CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences in Shanghai.

His laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms of root immunity and root-microbe interactions, using Arabidopsis and rice as model systems. By integrating cell biology, microbiology, and crop genetics with advanced visualization techniques, his team maps the spatiotemporal dynamics of root-microbe communication. These interdisciplinary efforts aim to uncover how roots balance growth and defense in complex soil environments, ultimately guiding the development of microbe-based strategies for sustainable crop protection.