Interview with Prof. Dr. Lianguo Chen–Winner of the Toxics Young Investigator Award

Could you briefly introduce yourself, including your current affiliation and tell us about your current research interests?
I am currently a Full Professor at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Hubei Province, China. My research interests have persisted since my postgraduate studies, centering mainly on the aquatic toxicology of emerging environmental pollutants, such as flame retardants, per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and preservatives. As facilitated by the introduction and development of novel approaches, our research aims to identify molecular initiating events, convincingly unravel mechanistic cascades, and establish defined adverse outcome pathways for environmental pollutants. Building upon these findings, we develop a mechanism‑driven strategy to design environmentally benign alternatives, with the ultimate goal of achieving source reduction of toxic chemicals.
How does it feel to be recognized with the Toxics Young Investigator Award?
I am deeply honored to receive the Toxics Young Investigator Award from the international review panel. I recognize that this is a highly competitive award, with numerous applicants every year. This distinction represents international recognition of our group’s research accomplishments, and it will further motivate us to pursue our ongoing research directions. I hope we can generate more original findings in the years ahead.
Can you tell us about the specific research project or breakthrough that led to this recognition? What potential impact do you foresee this work having on the toxicology and environment science?
To comprehensively decipher the reproductive toxicity and underlying mechanisms of isothiazolinone, an emerging antimicrobial preservative, our team has spent five years accumulating robust evidence in vivo, in vitro, in silico, and ex vivo. By developing and optimizing a pull‑down protocol tailored for toxicological investigations, we successfully screened for potential binding targets and further validated Gαi as the molecular initiating event responsible for isothiazolinone‑induced reproductive toxicity in animal models. Through co‑exposure experiments with diverse agonists and antagonists, we confirmed the causal link between Gαi disruption and reproductive impairments. These findings allowed us to propose a compelling, novel adverse outcome pathway for reproductive toxicity. This work underscores that Gαi‑mediated signaling can trigger adverse reproductive outcomes, representing a valuable addition to the existing repertoire of receptor‑driven reproductive toxicity mechanisms. This insight suggests that pollutant screening workflows should not be limited to well‑characterized targets. Future mechanistic studies are expected to uncover additional molecular targets that can be integrated into risk prediction and diagnostic frameworks.
Beyond mechanistic toxicology, our research extends toward the rational design of green chemicals. Based on divergent antimicrobial potency and differential Gαi‑binding affinity among isothiazolinone analogs, we have established structure–activity and structure–toxicity relationships. These relationships support the design of alternative compounds with reduced reproductive endocrine toxicity and enhanced antimicrobial performance. Ultimately, two candidate compounds have been synthesized and are being evaluated for real‑world applications. Compared with conventional mortality‑centered approaches, mechanism‑ and target‑driven chemical design strategies have proven more environmentally relevant and sustainable.
Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Currently, toxicological research is confronted with multiple critical challenges. Notably, the field needs to shift its focus from characterizing toxicological effects toward dissecting underlying mechanisms. At present, descriptive observations alone are insufficient and constrain data interpretation. We must develop innovative toxicological approaches to identify direct binding targets that causally mediate the specific biological effects triggered by environmental pollutants. Validating the causal link between these molecular targets and adverse outcomes is of particular interest and significance. Furthermore, once molecular targets are unambiguously identified, it becomes imperative to integrate these newly‑discovered targets into high‑throughput screening and predictive workflows, alongside conventionally established targets. Leveraging artificial intelligence and big‑data mining, environmental pollutants posing substantial ecological and health risks can be prioritized for subsequent experimental validation. In parallel, toxicology should strengthen its capacity to support chemical risk management and evidence‑based policy‑making. Beyond advancing fundamental science, toxicological research must also emphasize application‑oriented outputs.
Could you tell us about your experience with Toxics either as an author, reviewer, editor, or reader?
Previously, I served as a Guest Editor and assisted in organizing a Special Issue for Toxics. I was also involved in manuscript review and processing in my capacity as both a reviewer and an editor. To date, our group has published two papers in Toxics, one of which has been featured on the journal’s front cover. Through frequent, multi‑faceted interactions with Toxics’ editorial management team, what has impressed me most is the high efficiency of its manuscript‑processing workflow. Adhering to rigorous standards, the journal enables timely online publication of research outputs, facilitating knowledge exchange among international readers. Moreover, the Toxics management team demonstrates great enthusiasm for elevating the journal to greater heights. They have established online conference platforms, solicited advice from Editorial Board Members, and spared no effort to promote Toxics to a broader audience. All these initiatives will undoubtedly benefit the journal’s further development.
What have been some of the major technical or career challenges you faced when transitioning from a student to an independent faculty member or group leader? How did you overcome them?
After returning from Hong Kong to take up a position in Wuhan, I was appointed as a full professor in 2018 and tasked with establishing a new laboratory. In the following year, I began to recruit postgraduate students. Supervising student research proved challenging in the initial stage. Since new students lacked prior experience in toxicological experiments, I had to train them in core technical skills while encouraging them to think independently and pursue innovative research ideas. Defining the future research direction of our lab also posed considerable difficulties. Fortunately, my students progressed rapidly and acquired toxicological methodologies through intensive training. Gradually, they became capable of working independently, freeing up my time for other responsibilities. As a principal investigator (PI), I am required to secure sufficient grants to fund our toxicological research. This represents a persistent challenge for all researchers, yet it is particularly acute for early‑career faculty and new group leaders. Given the wide variety of funders and grant application systems, it is critical to become familiar with grant‑writing procedures at an early stage and seize every available opportunity.
Based on your journey, what specific advice would you give to young researchers or PhD students who are just starting their careers in toxicology and environment science?
In my view, scientific research should be driven by the most innovative ideas, with paper publication never treated as its ultimate goal. Therefore, I recommend that early career researchers and PhD students devote their limited time and energy to exploring topics that truly interest them. Rather than spreading their efforts across fragmented experiments, they are better off pursuing comprehensive, in‑depth research focused on a single specific subject. Admittedly, such thorough investigations are more likely to encounter obstacles and may even end in failure. Nevertheless, the rewards are far greater when researchers strive to identify solutions and tackle a scientific challenge.
Finally, do you have any suggestions on how Toxics could further support young researchers and the academic community?
Under current circumstances, early‑career researchers struggle to compete against senior experts for research grants. Without grant funding, they lack the resources to sustain their research and advance their careers. In this context, I believe it would be highly beneficial for Toxics to establish a grant program specifically for early career researchers. An international review committee could conduct impartial assessments to uphold the standards and authority of this Toxics‑affiliated grant.