On the morning of Oct 19th, Ministry of Science and Technology proclaimed the national basic research program (also called 973 program) and the major science research program of 2009. There were two projects supported by the 973 program and the major science research program respectively inZhejiangUniversity. Meanwhile two professors were appointed Chief Specialist.

It is said that 973 program approved 84 projects in the fields of agriculture, energy, information, resource and environment, population and health, materials, synthesis and frontier science this year. Besides 39 other projects were put under authorized program to intensify the deployment of the major science research program on Protein Research, Quantum Control Research, Nano-technology Research, and Reproduction and Development Research.

The two projects, which are undertaken by Zhejiang University as the lead, are fundamental research on infestation mechanism and sustainable pest control for the rice plant-hopper directed by Prof. Yonggen Lou from college of agriculture and biotechnology, who is Chief Specialist of 973 program in the field of agriculture and study on structure basis, modulation and function of neurons during the key protein membrane transport directed by Prof. Jianhong Luo from school of medicine, who is Chief Specialist of the major science research program in the field of protein research.

It is the first time that Zhejiang University took the lead in undertaking the major science research program, which achieved the zero Chief Specialist breakthrough in the program.ZhejiangUniversityhas already led the 973 program 13 times up to now.