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Source: Cover News

Cover News reporter Che Jiazhu and He Hongjie photographed the report

Kuang Tingyun

Born in December 1934 in Zizhong, Sichuan, he is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an academician of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, a plant physiologist, and a biochemist. He has been engaged in the research of photosynthesis and the structure and function of photosynthetic membrane proteins for a long time. He has devoted himself to the research of photosynthesis for more than 60 years and is committed to uncovering the mystery of light energy conversion. He has provided basic and forward-looking theoretical and technical support for major national strategies such as agriculture and energy, and has made outstanding contributions to the development of photosynthesis research in my country.

Academician Kuang Tingyun was interviewed by the cover reporter. Photo by He Hongjie

It is hot and humid in Beijing during the dog days of summer.

At the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Institute of Botany), located at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain, the Cover News reporter met with Kuang Tingyun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a plant physiologist. Academician Kuang Tingyun, 90 years old this year, is as fashionable and elegant as ever in a green dress with bell-bottom pants. Although she is already in her twilight years, she still wears her favorite brightly colored clothes to work, research, and dedicate her energy to the Institute of Botany.

In June this year, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference was held in Beijing. The project "Research on the Structure and Function of Eukaryotic Photosynthetic Membrane Proteins" led by Kuang Tingyun, with the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences as the first completing unit, won the second prize of the National Natural Science Award in 2023.

Academician Kuang Tingyun won the second prize of the National Natural Science Award in 2023. Photo provided by the interviewee

Because he has devoted his life to the study of photosynthesis, many people call Academician Kuang Tingyun a "light chaser." On July 22, a reporter from Cover News met with Academician Kuang Tingyun face to face and listened to the story of this 90-year-old "light chaser."

Continuously on the road of learning

Studying hard and contributing to the motherland was Kuang Tingyun's wish when she was young, and it also determined the direction of her future study and work.

In 1949, when Kuang Tingyun was 15 years old, she was studying at the Second Middle School of Zizhong County, Sichuan Province. Because of her excellent grades, she was elected as the first student union president of the Second Middle School of Zizhong County, and was also the vice president of the Zizhong County Student Union. In 1950, she was fortunate to attend the Southwest Student Representative Conference in Chongqing as a representative of the Student Union, and personally listened to the situation report made by Comrade Deng Xiaoping, who was then the leader of the Southwest Administrative Committee. Kuang Tingyun recalled: "When the new China was founded, there was a lot of work to be done. Young students should study hard and contribute to the motherland. I was only 15 or 16 years old at that time, and it was unlikely for me to join the army, so I needed to study hard and go to college to build the motherland." This report made her very excited, and she also made up her mind to study hard and devote herself to the cause of building a new China.

In this way, this Sichuan girl was admitted to the Department of Soil and Agricultural Chemistry of Beijing Agricultural University (now China Agricultural University). With the youthful ambition to build the motherland, Kuang Tingyun left her hometown in Sichuan and began her dream and struggle at the Agricultural University.

"At that time, I thought I was doing chemical research, such as synthesizing chemical fertilizers, but in fact I studied agricultural chemistry, so it was quite broad: plant biochemistry, agricultural chemistry, and soil chemistry were all included. I feel that I received a very good training during my university years." Recalling his university days, Kuang Tingyun believes that the extensive learning of multiple disciplines at that time laid a good foundation for his future scientific research career.

In 1958, Kuang Tingyun was selected to study in the Department of Biological Soil Science at Moscow State University in the Soviet Union. The process was not smooth sailing. She took the opportunity after taking the examination for the preparatory college students to study in the Soviet Union twice. "At that time, most of my classmates did not have this opportunity, so I cherished it very much and felt that I must hand in a satisfactory answer in the future." In four years, she collected a large amount of literature, filling more than 10 wooden boxes. When she returned to China, she brought back all these scientific research materials one by one.

A photo of Kuang Tingyun at Moscow State University in the Soviet Union. Photo provided by the interviewee

After returning to China, Kuang Tingyun joined the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Due to the needs of production practice, the institute decided to let her conduct research on "the effect of trace element manganese on rice production", which coincided with the direction of "the effect of hormones on plant metabolism" she studied in the Soviet Union. "A person's research direction, of course, depends on your earliest interests, but it also needs to be adjusted according to the needs of the country. At the Institute of Botany, I switched to the study of plant photosynthesis according to the needs." Kuang Tingyun studied and thought: The sun rises every day, and algae and green plants capture, transmit and transform light repeatedly. What is its mechanism? Humans have not revealed it for a long time. Kuang Tingyun believes that studying the mechanism and regulation principles of photosynthesis is of great strategic significance for solving the problems of food, energy, environment and resources faced by the sustainable development of human society.

More than 70 years later, she still clearly remembers many details of that time. In countless experiences, constantly breaking through scientific problems became the raw material for her growth. Continuously absorbing the essence of knowledge and her passion for fighting for the motherland led her to the path of scientific research, and then she had faith and persistence in her lifelong struggle.

Total unfinished research projects

In the Jingtian Building of the Institute of Botany in Xiangshan, a statue of Tang Peisong stands. In 1986, German scientists announced a research result on the spatial structure of photosynthetic membrane proteins at the atomic level at the 7th International Photosynthesis Conference, which shocked Kuang Tingyun. After returning to China, she reported to Tang Peisong, then director of the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences: photosynthetic membrane proteins are too important, very difficult, and the international competition is too fierce. Mr. Tang, who was almost 90 years old, immediately decided that since it was so important, China should also do it, and immediately decided to conduct interdisciplinary research, with the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, starting with biochemistry and the Institute of Biophysics starting with structure, to carry out research on the structure and function of photosynthetic membrane proteins.

A laboratory in the Jingtian Building of the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Photo by He Hongjie

The spatial structure of photosynthetic membrane proteins is measured in "angstroms", which is a unit smaller than nanometers. German scientists first analyzed the crystal structure of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein complex from peas with a resolution of 3.4 angstroms through three-dimensional reconstruction of two-dimensional crystals. Although the scientific community is eager to obtain a higher resolution, Chinese scientists are not given much hope.

In 2004, Kuang Tingyun's team, together with the team from the Institute of Biophysics, completed the crystal structure analysis of the main light-harvesting complex of spinach with a resolution of 2.72 angstroms. The structure diagram appeared on the cover of Nature magazine: nearly 30,000 atoms embedded in the photosynthetic membrane formed a hollow sphere with regular icosahedral symmetry. Kuang Tingyun proudly said: "This is a Chinese crystallization and a Chinese structure. After that, we have made breakthroughs in the spatial structure of super-large molecular complexes of photosynthetic membranes one after another internationally."

When talking about scientific research, Kuang Tingyun is always eloquent. She started with the National Key Basic Research and Development Program (973 Program), then the crystal structure analysis of the photosynthetic membrane protein supramolecular complex of higher plant photosystem I, which won the "Top Ten Advances in Chinese Life Sciences in 2015", and then the successful analysis of the spatial structure of the diatom-specific light-harvesting antenna pigment protein complex for the first time in 2019.

She remembers every detail of the scientific research she has walked, the pits she has stepped on, the water she has waded through, and the joy of experimental progress. "When we first started doing scientific research, our conditions were far behind those abroad," said Kuang Tingyun. "With the development of the country, research conditions in all aspects have improved. With our efforts, we have gradually moved to the international forefront, can compete with the international community, and have been widely recognized by the industry."

"This is the third time I have won the National Natural Science Award. This honor also belongs to my team and my students. We are still working hard in this field," said Kuang Tingyun. After winning the award, although she believes that she has entered the "old age" of scientific research and feels that time is running out, she is also trying her best to lead young people to work hard for the country's scientific and technological development. "In fact, we have retired, but we have never stopped working and are still working hard." Major scientific projects have been completed time and time again, but her own research project has never been completed, and she always wants to move forward.

A corner of Kuang Tingyun's office Photo by He Hongjie

Life is impermanent, but also has its permanence

While studying at Moscow State University, she met Zhang Shen, a graduate student in the Department of Biology. After obtaining their doctoral degrees, the two registered their marriage at the Moscow Embassy. Later, they were both elected academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and became an enviable scientific couple.

"Our research schedule was very tight and we had almost no time together, but unfortunately, he passed away from brain cancer in 2002. The grief of losing my beloved life partner coincided with the completion of the '973 Project' I was in charge of. The long-term overload of work caused my body to 'collapse'. Fortunately, the improvement of national medical conditions and the care of the Party and the State for scientific researchers allowed me to receive good treatment. Through timely surgery, the tumor was successfully removed. I finally defeated the disease and gained a new life."

Through experiments, scientific research data can be continuously improved, but life outside the instruments is full of uncertainty. In March and September 2019, Kuang Tingyun was diagnosed with colon cancer and lung cancer respectively. After undergoing two cancer surgeries, Kuang Tingyun miraculously won the battle against cancer again. "Instead of being an anti-cancer star, it is better to go back to the laboratory and work hard." After being discharged from the hospital, she soon returned to work. She has overcome obstacles in the road of scientific research and experienced ups and downs in life, but she is still elegant and calm, and all the storms are just passing clouds.

At the 6th World Top Scientists "She" Forum held in Shanghai in 2023, Kuang Tingyun stood throughout the entire speech and spoke fluent English for nearly 20 minutes. She wore a black and white cardigan and purple bell-bottom pants that day, and her fashion style was no less than that of young people. She said: "This is a kind of love, which includes respect for others and the pursuit of career and beauty."

Academician Kuang Tingyun was elegant at the Top Science Forum. Photo courtesy of the organizer

At the forum, she shared with everyone a quote from Marie Curie: "Life is not easy for any of us, but so what? We must have perseverance and, most importantly, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are talented, and we need to find this talent at any cost." Whether it is the love and persistence for scientific research, the optimism and strength in the face of cancer, or a spirit that transcends gender, it is enough to move, admire and revere everyone.

Whether it is an inconspicuous grass or a towering ancient tree, they all grow through photosynthesis. Light, water, and carbon dioxide are the essential raw materials for photosynthesis. Kuang Tingyun has completed "photosynthesis" again and again with 90 years of hard work and struggle.

From the vast universe to tiny cells, from national treasures to chips, from the paleontological kingdom to the quantum world, Kuang Tingyun, as an important participant and contributor to the country's scientific progress and technological innovation, continues to write a beautiful chapter of "her" power.

Academician Kuang Tingyun signs for West China Metropolis Daily-Cover News Photo by He Hongjie

Dialogue with Kuang Tingyun

Cover News: As a native of Zizhong, Sichuan, while you are immersed in scientific research, you are also concerned about the development of your hometown. Can you briefly introduce it to us?

Kuang Tingyun: I don’t go back to Sichuan often now, but I have established a workstation in Zizhong (Academician Kuang Tingyun (Expert) Workstation) to obtain new varieties with better quality by improving the photosynthesis efficiency of Zizhong blood oranges and reducing oxygen consumption. In 2023, this workstation was upgraded to a provincial academician workstation, and I will go back to take a look every one or two years.

Cover News: You have always been called "Chloroplast Grandma" by the outside world. Why is that?

Kuang Tingyun: People often say that I am a "light chaser", mainly because I have been engaged in the research of photosynthesis for a long time. Photosynthesis is actually a unique function of green plants, and it is also the largest energy and material conversion process on the earth. Green plants absorb light energy, synthesize carbon dioxide and water into energy-rich organic matter, and release oxygen at the same time. In fact, whether it is green plants on land or photosynthetic algae in the ocean, they all have to carry out photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are specialized subunit organelles in the cells of eukaryotic autotrophic organisms such as green plants and algae, and their main function is to carry out photosynthesis. In other words, chloroplasts are a subcellular site for photosynthesis, so this is why I am called "Chloroplast Grandma".

Cover News: I heard that you started doing popular science work as early as 60 years ago. Can you give us a brief introduction?

Kuang Tingyun: At that time, I had just returned from Russia and needed to give a science lecture in a kindergarten in Zhongguancun. At that time, I asked the teachers of plant and animal research to give lectures. For animals, I chose Mr. Zheng Zuoxin, the founder of modern ornithology in China, and for plants, I was responsible for talking about photosynthesis. The assistant of Mr. Zheng Zuoxin, the founder of modern ornithology in China, brought dozens of bird cages, each with a bird, and told the children in the kindergarten what harmful birds were and what beneficial birds were. The children were very interested. How to explain photosynthesis, which was difficult for children to understand? So, I asked the painter to draw a wall-sized color picture with the sun, forests, wheat fields, and orchards on it. Below it were two groups of children, and the relationship between man and nature officially began. This was my earliest "scientific parenting".