"CUHK Innovations that Changed the World" – Professor Lam Hon-Ming Soybean Genomic Research

21 Dec, 2021

Professor Lam Hon-Ming, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) and Professor of the School of Life Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), is a pioneer in soybean genomic and genetic research. He is committed to promoting sustainable agricultural development through his research, in line with the concept of climate-smart agriculture development advocated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. In 2010, Professor Lam collaborated with BGI-Shenzhen to decode the genomes of 31 wild and cultivated soybeans, and concluded that wild soybean enjoys a much higher degree of genetic biodiversity. The finding was published as the cover story in Nature Genetics in December 2010, laying down the foundation for related research initiatives and projects, which have since been blooming in many areas of the world.

An international collaborative research team led by Professor Lam Hon-Ming, completed the world’s first reference-grade wild soybean genome which provides an important tool for soybean genetic research internationally. It lays a solid foundation for comparative genomic studies of legume and soybean improvement programmes, and helps to improve the tolerance and other agronomic traits of soybean. It thereby extends the habitats of soybean cultivation and contributes to sustainable agriculture.

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