Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology (LMT) has been focused on the study of interactions between biomacromolecules and environmental chemicals, especially pesticides. Specifically, our focus is to study the mechanisms of neurotoxic effects of some pesticides on animals to help ameliorate the unwanted side effects of pesticides widely used for control of pest insects and rodents. In addition, we also take interest in studying the harmful effects of persistent pesticides on the environments and ecosystems as well as the development of insect resistance to insecticides. We strived to develop novel approaches to reduce and eliminate the pesticide residues in environment.

LMT was involved in numerous national research programs including the key project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Knowledge Innovation Program, projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National High Technologies R&D Program (863 program), the National Basic Research Program (973 program), and the Ministry of Agriculture Pesticide Residue Projects. In particular, LMT has been one of the leading research teams on studying the organophosphate-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). The main research goals and scientific interests of LMT involve four topics as follows.

　　1. To explore the mechanism of OPIDN with an emphasis on studying neuropathy target esterase (NTE), the primary protein target of OPIDN;
　　2. To study non-target joint toxicity of multiple organophosphorus (OP) and other pesticides;
　　3. To study the biochemical and molecular mechanism of the insect resistance to insecticides;
　　4. To study the degradation of pesticide residues by genetically engineered bacteria.