With the increase of life and work pressure, many people have developed subhealth, a state between health and illness. It could be a physical illness or a psychological disorder, but in any case, these subhealth issues have seriously affected our lives.
In recent years, the medical community has started focusing on psychological illnesses such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc. According to relevant statistics, there are currently over 100 million people in China suffering from various degrees of depression, accounting for 1/14 of the total population, leading to a surge in the number of patients visiting major hospital psychiatric departments.
Under this vast number, weighs heavily on over a hundred million families in China. Nowadays, depression has become a major “killer” of health in our country, with many depression patients choosing to end their lives every year. However, effective treatment for such illnesses has not been found until her appearance.
She is Professor Hu Hailan, mainly engaged in the research of emotion and social behavior at the molecular and neural circuit level. In 2008, Professor Hu Hailan’s team first discovered the causes of depression, and proposed effective treatment plans, benefiting numerous depression patients.
The Smooth Journey of the Study Buff
Hu Hailan was born in Zhejiang Dongyang in 1973, carrying the halo of a “study buff” from childhood to adulthood, a research worker who combines beauty and intelligence. During her school years, thanks to the careful nurturing of her parents and her own diligence, she always excelled in academics.
During her school days, Hu Hailan was always passionate about participating in various competitions, winning prizes constantly. In high school, she won first prize at a national physics Olympiad, directly securing admission to the Biology Department at Peking University.
Studying and researching biology is a long and tedious process, as this field is vast and requires detailed research into every aspect, no room for carelessness. This highly challenging field piqued Hu Hailan’s interest, prompting her to delve deeper into its mysteries.
Having excellent grades, Hu Hailan never let her guard down during her university years, often seen in the library at Peking University. Reading a plethora of research books, gathering information, and then diving into the laboratory to combine theory with practice.
After graduating from university, Hu Hailan obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, but she was not satisfied with just that. She was well aware that the field of biology had even broader horizons waiting for her, so she chose to further her studies in the United States.
She enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, to study neurobiology, eventually earning her Ph.D.
In 2004, Hu Hailan joined the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, located on Long Island in New York, hailed as the “cradle of molecular biology.” It tops the list of the world’s ten most influential research institutes, with 300 researchers engaged in scientific research.
It was in such a superior research environment that provided Hu Hailan with a platform for growth and learning, where she also met many mentors and friends. Thus, she stayed in the United States for 13 years.
Abandoning High Salary to Return for Research
Both economically and scientifically, the United States is at the forefront globally, attracting many individuals to pursue advanced studies there, a path Hu Hailan also followed. However, while some choose to remain in the U.S. after their studies, she took a different route.
For Hu Hailan, 2008 marked a pivotal year. It was the year she unhesitatingly gave up her high-paying job in the U.S. to return to her home country, continuing her research in neurobiology.
Upon returning, she joined the Institute of Neuroscience at the Chinese Academy of Sciences as the head of the research group on neural circuits and behavioral plasticity. Here, she led her team to achieve world-renowned accomplishments.
Depression is a very common mental disorder in today’s society, causing immense suffering to tens of millions of people in China. It has become the second leading disease for humans after cardiovascular diseases, yet there is no reliable treatment for such an ailment.
Many depression patients can only rely on some marginal medications to temporarily alleviate their pain, but the effects are short-lived and prolonged use of such drugs significantly affects bodily functions.
With the increasing demand in society for treating depression, Hu Hailan and her team worked tirelessly day and night to find an effective treatment for depression.
With persistent efforts, six years later, Hu Hailan and her team first discovered the causes of depression, unveiling a series of original and systematic achievements in the emotional neural coding, molecular mechanisms of depression onset, and the neural basis of social hierarchy, all with practical value.
The path of research must continue, as understanding the cause of any disease enables better treatment. Soon after, Hu Hailan’s team discovered the glutamate receptor through extensive research and clinical trials, showing very significant effects in combating depression.
This research achievement has made outstanding contributions to human development, especially providing hope for the 350 million depressed individuals in China who have long endured suffering.
In 2019, Hu Hailan was awarded the “12th IBRO-Kemali International Award,” the first time it was given to a scientist outside Europe and North America since its establishment in 1998. Honored with this accolade, she was titled as “Asia’s Number One” by the People’s Daily.
Transition to Education, Nurturing Talents Across the Nation
As a research scientist, Hu Hailan has received numerous awards and honors, but what she is most proud of is nurturing a group of high-level talents who contribute to the nation as a professor.
In 2015, Hu Hailan joined Zhejiang University as a dual-appointed professor and doctoral supervisor. Moving from the laboratory to the lecture hall, Hu Hailan has been advancing in the field of biology. She shifted her role from a researcher uncovering discoveries to a disseminator of knowledge.
However, irrespective of her location, Hu Hailan’s passion and reverence for biology remain unwavering, inspiring her students as well. She often tells her students, “Climb the highest mountain, walk the furthest road,” encapsulating her lifelong pursuit of research.
During her teaching tenure, Hu Hailan has guided five doctoral graduates, among whom ten have received national scholarships. The doctoral graduates she mentored have published multiple academic papers, garnering high praise.
At 45 years old now, age is not a shackle for Hu Hailan but a treasure trove of experiences accumulated over time. She continues to strive on the paths of research and education, aiming to achieve more accomplishments.
Hu Hailan’s decision was indeed right; instead of forgetting the nation’s nurturing when successful, she wholeheartedly returned to commit herself to the country’s scientific research. The treatment developed for depression has brought a ray of light into the lives of patients.
Today, China’s economy is rapidly developing, and many talents who studied abroad are choosing to relinquish their high-paying jobs overseas, dedicating themselves to various sectors of the country’s development, binding their future with that of the nation to achieve the great dream of rejuvenating the country together.
