Ning Jia

Ning Jia is an Associate Professor at the School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUStech), where she has served since May 2021. Previously an Assistant Professor at the same institution, she completed her postdoctoral research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Dr. Jia earned her PhD in Biology from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2016 and has established herself as a leading researcher in bacterial immunity mechanisms.

Her educational background includes:

• BS in Marine Biology from Ocean University of China (2006-2010)
• PhD in Biology from University of Science and Technology of China (2010-2016), advised by Zhou Cong-Zhao and Chen Yuxing

Dr. Jia's research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of the arms race between microorganisms and their host immune systems, particularly prokaryotic immune systems that defend against invading phages. She also develops biotechnological tools based on CRISPR-Cas systems to advance our ability to understand and manipulate biological systems. Her work combines biochemical, molecular biological, microbiological, and structural biological approaches to understand microbial defense mechanisms at the molecular level.

Her recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on molecular mechanisms of bacterial immune systems, examining CRISPR-Cas variants, phage defense mechanisms, and structural insights into immune proteins. Her work spans disciplines including microbiology, structural biology, molecular biology, and biotechnology, with particular emphasis on how bacteria defend against viral predators and how these defense systems can be harnessed for biotechnological applications.

Her scientific achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards:

• MIT Technology Review's "Innovators Under 35" in the Asia-Pacific region (2022)
• Blavatnik Regional Award for Young Scientists in Chemistry (2020)
• Shenzhen Overseas High-Level Talents (2021)
• Editorial Board Member of Journal of Biological Chemistry and mLife (2024)

Dr. Jia has secured multiple research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and various provincial and municipal programs. She serves as a reviewer for top journals including Nature, Science, Nature Microbiology, Nature Catalysis, and Nature Chemical Biology. Her laboratory at SUStech combines structural, biochemical, and microbiological approaches to unravel the molecular mechanisms of bacterial immunity and develop novel biotechnological applications based on these systems.