Profile

Studies natural rubber biosynthesis through 'two trees and one grass'; founded the China Eucommia Industry Research Institute.

Story

Wang Xuchu, of Tujia ethnicity from Yongshun, Hunan, is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, recruited as a distinguished talent in August 2023. For more than two decades, he and his team have studied 'two trees and one grass' - the tropical Para rubber tree, the temperate Eucommia and the cold-zone rubber dandelion - revealing the molecular mechanisms by which the protein machinery on the surface of rubber particles in laticifer cells regulates rubber polymerization, chain extension and accumulation, and achieving internationally leading results in the regulation of natural rubber biosynthesis and transgenic molecular breeding of rubber-producing plants.

Guizhou is a native home of Eucommia. Wang Xuchu founded the China Eucommia Industry Research Institute based at Guizhou University, co-established a Eucommia industry demonstration park in Xiazi Town, Xinpu New District, Zunyi (where the Wanxianzhuang Eucommia forest farm has maintained over 300 mu of contiguous Eucommia mother forest for 43 years), and launched the China Eucommia germplasm collection and multi-omics molecular evolution research program. He conducts the isolation and identification of Eucommia small peptides and the development and promotion of Eucommia rubber products, grounding rubber-plant basic research in the land of Guizhou.

Milestones

• In September 2023, attended the unveiling ceremony of the Zunyi Eucommia Industry Demonstration Park of Guizhou University and explained the value of Eucommia on site
• In January 2025, gave the report 'Research progress on the protein machinery regulating rubber biosynthesis and application prospects of Eucommia in Shaoyang' at Shaoyang University
• In January 2026, gave an academic report at Nanjing Forestry University on the regulation of natural rubber synthesis by the protein machinery of rubber-producing plants

Key Contributions

• For over 20 years, has focused on the regulatory mechanisms of natural rubber biosynthesis in three rubber-producing plants: the Para rubber tree, Eucommia and the rubber dandelion
• Led 36 research projects; published more than 110 papers; authored the 1.53-million-character monograph Plant Proteomics
• Young top-notch talent of the National High-level Talent Special Support Program; young and middle-aged leading scientist of the Ministry of Science and Technology; recipient of the State Council Special Allowance
• Founded the China Eucommia Industry Research Institute based at Guizhou University and launched the China Eucommia germplasm collection and multi-omics molecular evolution research program
• Leads a topic on 'construction of fine proteome maps of important economic crops' under the 14th Five-Year National Key R&D Program