Shanxi University | China
Author Profile
Suitable for this Best Researcher Award
Prof. Zhumei Ren, a renowned scientist in evolutionary genomics and plant-insect interactions, is an ideal nominee for the Best Researcher Award. With over 30 years of research in environmental biology and molecular systematics, her interdisciplinary expertise encompasses coevolution, phylogenomics, and Rhus gall biosystems. Her pioneering work on aphid-host plant coevolution has set global benchmarks. Prof. Ren has led national and international projects, contributing to biodiversity, genomic evolution, and ecological genetics. Her impactful publications and consistent global collaborations, particularly with the Smithsonian Institution, underscore her commitment to advancing knowledge. Her research significantly informs plant-animal interaction studies, conservation efforts, and evolutionary theory.
Education
Prof. Zhumei Ren’s academic path reflects exceptional dedication to biological sciences. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Monitoring from Shanxi University (1988–1992) and continued with an M.S. in Environmental Biology (1995–1998), focusing on insecticide toxicity. Her Ph.D. in Environmental Science (1999–2002) specialized in Molecular Systematics and mtDNA-based phylogeny. Her postdoctoral research (2004–2006) at Fudan University advanced understanding of genetic diversity in Rhus gallnut aphids. She later undertook multiple scholarly visits to the Smithsonian Institution (2008–2019), engaging in cutting-edge phylogenomic and biogeographic research. This robust academic background laid the foundation for her pioneering work in coevolution, plant-insect relationships, and biodiversity.
Professional Experience
Prof. Ren began her career at the Environmental Protection Bureau in Xinzhou before transitioning to academia in 1998 at Shanxi University. Over the years, she ascended from Teaching Assistant to Full Professor (since 2008). She has also served as a postdoctoral researcher at Fudan University and as a Visiting Scholar at the Smithsonian Institution across four terms. Her teaching and mentoring experience is matched by leadership in significant national projects, including studies funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. She actively bridges field ecology with molecular biology, demonstrating excellence in education, research leadership, and international collaboration. Her contributions to evolutionary biology, particularly in coevolution and genomics, shape both academic and applied scientific landscapes.
Awards and Recognition
Prof. Ren began her career at the Environmental Protection Bureau in Xinzhou before transitioning to academia in 1998 at Shanxi University. Over the years, she ascended from Teaching Assistant to Full Professor (since 2008). She has also served as a postdoctoral researcher at Fudan University and as a Visiting Scholar at the Smithsonian Institution across four terms. Her teaching and mentoring experience is matched by leadership in significant national projects, including studies funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. She actively bridges field ecology with molecular biology, demonstrating excellence in education, research leadership, and international collaboration. Her contributions to evolutionary biology, particularly in coevolution and genomics, shape both academic and applied scientific landscapes.
Prof. Zhumei Ren possesses a diverse and advanced skill set in molecular biology, environmental science, and evolutionary genomics. Her primary strengths include phylogenetic analysis, genome skimming, molecular phylogeny, and environmental monitoring. She is adept in DNA sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, and coevolutionary modeling. Prof. Ren has extensively worked on gene transfer mechanisms, endosymbiont-host relationships, and the evolutionary history of minor cereals and insect species. Her cross-disciplinary approach integrates lab-based molecular techniques with field-based ecological data. With over 60 English-language publications and a deep understanding of plant-animal coadaptation, she is a pioneer in Rhus gall aphid research. Her consistent research with Smithsonian Institution scientists further highlights her expertise in global biodiversity and evolutionary systems.
Publications
Complete chloroplast genome characterization of three Plagiomnium species and the phylogeny of family Mniaceae
- Authors: L. Huang, J. Wen, M.J.C. Crabbe, C. Chen, Z. Ren
Journal: Genetica
Year: 2025
Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Position of Nurudea zhengii Ren (Insecta, Hemiptera, Aphididae)
- Authors: Y. Song, Y. Liang, W. Ma, M.J.C. Crabbe, Z. Ren
Journal: Biochemical Genetics
Year: 2025
Prediction of historical, current and future potential distribution of Rhus chinensis (Anacardiaceae) based on the optimized MaxEnt model in China
- Authors: Y. Xu, X. Su, Z. Ren
Journal: Plant Ecology
Year: 2024
Comparative genomics of the primary endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola in aphid hosts and their coevolutionary relationships
- Authors: Y. Liang, R.B. Dikow, X. Su, J. Wen, Z. Ren
Journal: BMC Biology
Year: 2024
Three complete chloroplast genomes from two North American Rhus species and phylogenomics of Anacardiaceae
- Authors: L. Huang, Y. Xu, V. Valcárcel, J. Wen, Z. Ren
Journal: BMC Genomic Data
Year: 2024