From August 3 to 7, 2025, at the invitation of Prof. Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes, Chair of the 57th Annual Meeting of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology (SIP), Prof. Zhang Jie, Deputy Director General of the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IPPCAAS), led a delegation to Chile to attend the conference. The meeting featured extensive, in-depth discussions on pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses of invertebrates, as well as biological control. More than 200 participants from 26 countries—including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Mexico, Chile and Brazil—were in attendance. IPPCAAS delegates delivered scientific presentations showcasing the latest advances and results across multiple fronts, including the evolution of Bt strains, insecticidal modes of action, and regulatory networks.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Wang Zeyu, Associate Professor of IPPCAAS, was presented with the SIP Early Career Award. Nominees must be put forward by two internationally renowned scientists, and SIP confers this award on only one outstanding early-career scientist worldwide each year, to encourage the awardee to play a more prominent role on the international stage.

During the meeting, experts of the IPPCAAS delegation engaged extensively with researchers and industry representatives in microbial pesticides, laying an important foundation for expanded cooperation. They also held in-depth discussions and planning with existing partners in the United Kingdom, France and Mexico on strengthening future collaboration. The visit achieved its intended objectives and will further advance IPPCAAS’s fundamental research and product development in microbial pesticides.