Meeting-time:

September 15, 2020 (report for duty on September 14)

Meeting-place:

Banquet hall I, 3rd floor, Luguang NiuBinKai International Hotel inWuhan, Tencent Conference (ID: 442 656 909)

Participants:

Academician Yin Hongfu, Academician Jiao Nianzhi, Academician Deng Zixin, Academician Zhu Yongguan, Dr. Gong Jianming, Vice president Lai Xulong, Researcher Huang Li, Researcher Xianghua, Professor Dong Hailiang, Professor Shu Wensheng, Professor Wang Fengping, Professor Xiao Xiang, Researcher Shao Zongze, Professor Fang Jiasong, Professor Zhang Yuzhong, Professor Mou Bozhong, Professor Li Wenjun, Professor Chen Bo, Researcher Liu Yongqin Researcher, Researcher Liu Cuiyan (online), Professor Tang Kai, Lin Wei, Professor Xie Shucheng, Professor Wang Hongmei, Professor Li Chao, Professor Xiao Long, Professor She Zhenbing, Professor Jiang Hongchen, Professor Luo Genming, Professor Li Ping, Professor Dong Yiran, Professor Zhu Zongmin, Professor Wang Jiasheng, Professor Li Yiliang (online), Associate Researcher Liao Li, Associate Researcher Li Zibo, Associate Researcher Wu Geng, Associate Professor Ma Liyuan, Associate Professor Zhou Peng, Associate Professor Liu Deng, Associate Professor Hou Weiguo, Associate Researcher Zhang Hongbin, Associate Researcher Shen Jun, Associate Researcher Qiu Xuan, Associate Researcher Yang Jian, Associate Researcher Huang Liuqin, Assistant Research Fellow Dong Liang and Postdoctoral Huang ting

Theme:

1) Discuss the funding mechanism and policy recommendations in the discipline field

2) How to include the research content of extreme geo environmental microorganisms in the national planning of "three deep and one system"

3) Review, discuss, improve and improve the first draft of project report

Meeting content：

1.Leader's speech

The seminar was presided over by Professor Xie Shucheng. First, Lai Xulong, vice president of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), delivered a speech on behalf of the University. He expressed his warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the experts. President Lai pointed out that recent speeches by General Secretary Xi and other state leaders indicate that the state will vigorously support scientific research, especially the development of basic science. Combining with his own research experience, President Lai pointed out that the subject of extreme geo environmental microbiology is developing vigorously at present and has great potential in this field. Finally, he wished the conference a complete success.

Then, Dr. Gong Jianming, academician Affairs Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a speech. He pointed out that this meeting is a result output meeting, fully affirmed the first draft of the strategic report completed by the project team, and further put forward suggestions for subsequent modification and improvement. Finally, he wished the meeting a success.

Later, academician Yin Hongfu, the project leader, expressed warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the participants on behalf of the expert group. Academician Yin pointed out that the meeting has two main purposes: one is to review, discuss, improve and enhance the draft project report; the other is to discuss the funding and policy suggestions of the project, so as to provide reference for the Ministry of Geosciences of CAS and NSFC in formulating project guidelines, selecting priority areas or formulating development plans, and at the same time, to the Ministry of science and technology, the national development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of natural resources and other departments We should put forward policy suggestions. He pointed out that the members of the project team have been responsible for the research on the development strategic projects of three disciplines: geobiology in 2012-2013, deep underground biosphere in 2017-2018 and extreme environmental geological microbiology in 2019-2020. He hoped that the project members would continue to contribute to the major research projects of NSFC in the field of extreme geological environmental microbiology. Therefore, he proposed to establish a contact center for geological microorganisms, which is set up in the State Key Laboratory of biogeology and environmental geology of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), and is specifically led by Professor Xie Shucheng.

2.Exchange report

In order to give experts more time to discuss the progress of the project in depth, only four exchange reports were set up at this meeting. Professor Xie Shucheng briefly introduced the development strategic research projects of three disciplines: geobiology, deep biosphere and extreme geo environmental microbiology, and proposed to submit major research plans to the geosciences Department of NSFC. Then it focuses on the feasibility of promoting major research projects, related frontier scientific issues and major national needs. At present, academicians who can participate in the proposal include Jiao Nianzhi, Yin Hongfu, Jin Zhenmin, Chen Jun, Jin Zhijun, Deng Zixin, Shen Shuzhong, pan Yongxin, Zhu Yongguan, etc. In order to further promote this work, he proposed that the project team should plan to hold the Shuangqing forum or Xiangshan scientific conference in 2021 or 2022.

Professor Dong Hailiang, Professor Wang Fengping and Professor Xiao Long introduced the importance, scientific significance and funding situation of geological microorganisms from three aspects of deep earth, deep sea and deep space. These three reports fully reflect that microorganisms in extreme geological environment play an important role in the biosphere and play a key role in the formation of livable earth environment.

3.Discussion at the conference

After the four exchange reports, the experts held in-depth and heated discussions on the first draft of the strategic report and the promotion of major research projects.

Academician Deng Zixin very much agrees with the proposal of promoting the major research plan of NSFC in the field of microorganisms in extreme geological environment, and can further refine scientific issues through the Shuangqing forum and Xiangshan conference. After the outbreak, more attention has been paid to microorganisms at the national level, so we should strike while the iron is hot. Academician Deng also affirmed the overall content of the first draft of the strategic report.

Academician Jiao Nianzhi also very much agrees with the proposal of promoting the major research plan of NSFC in the field of microorganisms in extreme geological environment. He pointed out that the guiding ideology of the major research plan can be further broadened, not limited to "three deep and one system", and the science popularization work should also be promoted, giving priority to the Shuangqing forum. Later, he pointed out that the research on extreme environmental microorganisms is very promising. As for the strategic report, he hoped that the strategic report could reflect a dynamic, perspective, penetrating and comprehensive view.

Academician Zhu Yongguan pointed out that the first draft of the strategic report has a large amount of information and rich content, summarizes the research progress at home and abroad, and has clear ideas for future development. He further pointed out that from the perspective of global change, some microorganisms that may pose a threat to human beings may come from permafrost environment and spread quickly. Therefore, the biosafety problems caused by extreme environment and global change are worthy of attention. What kind of survival strategies do extreme environmental microorganisms have and how to characterize these strategies, and the coupling of energy and material metabolism behind microbial activities can be well explored.

Academician Yin Hongfu spoke highly of the speeches made by several academicians and talked about some problems and feelings. In the first extreme environment, microbial metabolism is slow, individual and quantity is small, but it can still play an important role. Second, the benefits of microorganisms to human beings need to be popularized. Third, how to popularize it? We should look at the future of human beings from the perspective of biological properties. The fourth question is what kind of project to declare and whether it will be approved or not. Therefore, he suggested setting up a contact center in Wuhan University of Geosciences to contact NSFC, Ministry of natural resources, etc. Through the establishment of a contact center to ensure that the promotion of matters related to microorganisms in extreme geological environment will continue, which will not only promote the development of geological microorganisms, but also promote the development of geobiology.

Huang Li, Mou Bozhong, Xiang Hua, Chen Bo, Xiao Xiang, Shao Zongze, Shu Wensheng, Wang Fengping, Liu Yongqin, Lin Wei and other members of the expert group and working group spoke successively. They agreed to promote the major research plan of extreme geo environmental microorganisms proposed to the NSFC, and put forward many constructive suggestions, including the extraction of scientific problems, Shuangqing forum, research team, etc. They also put forward many constructive opinions on the first draft of the strategic report, which is of great significance to the improvement of the follow-up strategic report.

Finally, Professor Xie Shucheng made a summary. He said that some consensus has been reached in this discussion. In particular, we all feel that we should recommend the major research projects of the NSFC as soon as possible and hold the Shuangqing forum as soon as possible. Finally, on behalf of the project team, he would like to thank all the experts for their support for the project work in the past two years, for their support for the writing of the strategic report, and for all the wonderful suggestions put forward today. We need to support the follow-up work to further promote the development of extreme geological environment microbiology!