On the afternoon of April 14, 2026, the 113th Chen Bangjie Forum was successfully held in the Round-Table Conference Room on the third floor of the Xingzhi Building. At the invitation of Professor Yang Guang from the School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Professor Li Sheng—Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor, recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, member of the Hundred Talents Program, and doctoral supervisor at the School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University—visited the university and delivered an outstanding academic lecture entitled "Molecular Mechanisms Behind the Cockroach's 'Indestructible' Reputation." The session was chaired by Professor Yang Guang and was enthusiastically attended by faculty and students across the college.
During the lecture, Professor Li Sheng provided an in-depth and accessible exploration of the extraordinary survival mechanisms that define cockroaches as "indestructible" from the perspective of insect development and evolution. He elucidated the hormonal regulation of molting and metamorphosis and its role in developmental plasticity, alongside the allometric growth pattern characterized by the prioritization of the fat body over wing disc development within the molting cycle. He further clarified how gut microbiota activate the mTOR signaling pathway through branched-chain amino acids to regulate growth, and how juvenile hormone governs vitellogenin metabolism and periodic oviposition, thereby explaining the cockroach's evolutionary adaptation to humid southern environments via ootheca formation.
The presentation also covered parthenogenesis in cockroaches, E93 gene-mediated sexual differentiation and sexual dimorphism, and the role of the novel gene fuxi in regulating courtship aggregation behavior. Professor Li analyzed the distinctive phenomenon whereby nymphs possess robust appendage regeneration capacity while adults lack this ability, dissecting the epigenetic and initiation signaling mechanisms underlying regeneration. The lecture concluded with a comparative analysis of differential nutrient-dependent evolution between cockroaches (Blattodea) and termites, vividly illustrating the unique developmental and evolutionary enigmas of cockroaches. The content was cutting-edge, logically rigorous, and highly inspiring.
Following the presentation, Professor Li Sheng actively engaged with attending faculty and students in a lively Q&A session. Attendees raised insightful questions regarding the biological differences between northern and southern cockroach populations in China and the nomenclature of novel genes. Professor Li provided detailed and practical responses, fostering a vibrant and intellectually stimulating discussion.
This forum provided a valuable opportunity for the college's faculty and students to engage in direct dialogue with an outstanding researcher in the field, significantly broadening their academic horizons and stimulating deeper contemplation on the biological underpinnings of the cockroach's notorious resilience. The event served as a powerful catalyst, inspiring more students to pursue future explorations in scientific research.