Lijun Zhou

  • Human Frontier Science Program Fellow
Lijun Zhou

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About

Lijun Zhou is a Human Frontier Science Program Fellow at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge,

Biography

I completed my PhD at Beijing Forestry University, where I used multi-omic approaches — genomics, transcriptomics and volatile metabolomics — to uncover the biosynthesis, release dynamics and evolutionary history of floral scent in roses.

My broader interest lies in how plants evolve novel phenotypic traits to interact with insect pollinators.

Previous Position

2024 to 2025 - CSC-funded Visiting Researcher, Evolution and Development - Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, UK

Qualifications

2025 - PhD in Agricultural Sciences (Floricultural Germplasm Resources and Genetic Breeding) - Beijing Forestry University, China

2019 - BSc in Agricultural Sciences (Landscape Plants and Ornamental Horticulture) - Beijing Forestry University, China

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Awards & Fellowships

2026 - Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Fellowship

Committees

2026 - Young Editorial Board Member - Journal of Systematics and Evolution (JSE)

2024 - Secretary, Young Minds Committee - International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)

Outreach

2019 - 2024 - President, "Ecological Civilization" Doctoral Outreach Group (30+ courses delivered; audience reach 320,000+) - Beijing Forestry University, China 

Research

Research Group

Evolution & Development 

Research Overview

I am working with Prof. Beverley Glover on the evo-devo of sexually deceptive floral traits in Gorteria diffusa, investigating how gene regulatory network evolution and gene co-option generate novel pollinator-mimicking petal spots.

Publications

Selected publications

Phenotypic and genomic signatures across wild Rosa species open new horizons for modern rose breeding 4 April 2025 Nature Plants Bixuan Cheng, Kai Zhao, Meichun Zhou, Peter M Bourke, Lijun Zhou, Sihui Wu, Yanlin Sun, Lifang Geng, Wenting Du, Chenyang Yang, Juntong Chen, Runhuan Huang, Xiaoling Tian, Lei Zhang, He Huang, Yu Han, Huitang Pan, Qixiang Zhang, Le Luo & Chao Yu Structure and release function of fragrance glands 1 February 2025 Horticulture Research Yunyi Chen, Ziying Jiang, Sihui Wu, Bixuan Cheng, Lijun Zhou, Tinghan Liu & Chao Yu Multi-omics analyzes of Rosa gigantea illuminate tea scent biosynthesis and release mechanisms 30 September 2024 Nature Communications Lijun Zhou, Sihui Wu, Yunyi Chen, Runhuan Huang, Bixuan Cheng, Qingyi Mao, Tinghan Liu, Yuchen Liu, Kai Zhao, Huitang Pan, Chao Yu, Xiang Gao, Le Luo & Qixiang Zhang Volatile metabolome and transcriptome reveal fragrance release rhythm and molecular mechanisms of Rosa yangii 21 July 2023 Journal of Integrative Agriculture Lijun Zhou, Run-huan Huang, Ting-han Liu, Wei-chao Liu, Yun-yi Chen, Pei-feng Lu, Le Luo, Hui-tang Pan, Chao Yu & Qi-xiang Zhang Volatile compound analysis and aroma evaluation of tea-scented roses in China 1 November 2020 Industrial Crops and Products Lijun Zhou, Chao Yu, Bixuan Cheng, Huihua Wan, Le Luo, Huitang Pan & Qixiang Zhang

Teaching and supervision

2022 - Teaching Assistant, Plant Tissue Culture (vegetative propagation and lab safety protocols for undergraduates) - Beijing Forestry University, China