On November 8, Deputy Director LinQingshan, Party Committee member of the State Oceanic Administration, presentedthe 34th Antarctic Expedition a flag, gave the sailing order and kicked off China’s34th Antartic Expedition mission. More than 100 expeditionary workersboarded the Snow Dragon scientific research vessel and sailed tothe Antarctic site to perform scientific expedition tasks. Zhai Wanying, adoctoral student in the Chen Liangbiao Task Force of the College of Fishery andLife Science of Shanghai Ocean University, participated in the 34th AntarcticExpedition and carried out scientific research missions with the Snow Dragon Shipat Antarctica Zhongshan Station, Rose Sea, Prydz Bay, Amundsen Sea and otherexpedition sites.

Zhai Wanying is mainly involved in theimplementation of the international (regional) exchange program of NationalNatural Science Foundation, the evolution of fish immunology under extremeconditions, chaired by Prof. Chen Liangbiao, investigates  the relationship of the Antarctic fishimmunocompetence with season and temperature, conducts research on theNotothenioide fish immunophysiology and cell physiology, including the separationof cell components and tissue section processing of blood, heart and muscle,collects Antarctic fish and water environmental microorganisms at differentsites, investigates and samples the environmental conditions of the collectedfishes and separates the microbial species so as to lay the groundwork forfollow-up experiments. This project aims to elucidate how the genetic evolutionof the Notothenioidei fish in their immune system and the low temperature haveshaped their immune system, unveil the genes, evolutionary patterns andmolecules that contribute to the low-temperature adaptability of the immunesystem, and reveal the role of the microbial communities played in thisprocess. This is of great importance for getting to know the expansion andevolutionary mechanisms of adaptive species in the Antarctic and other marineecosystems and the impact of global warming on these ecosystems.

As arranged collectively, the experimental drugsand reagents used for the expeditions were all packaged and shipped on November6, and Prof. Chen Liangbiao went to the National Polar Research Center of Chinato see off the expedition workers on Nov. 8. Zhai Wanying said that he would overcome all difficulties, carry forward the spirit ofthe Antarctic, and fulfill the expedition task.