Pioneer Member

Jiaqiang Dong – It has been 10 years since I first met him and almost 5 years since his sudden pass. I don’t want to reminisce the years in US, because he and the lab were all what I had in US. Last time, I had a dream about revisiting the lab. When I walked down the corridor, everything is there. However, nobody appears. When I woke up, tears fell down my face. Wish he was still there. I didn’t know him better until I drafted his obituary. He enjoyed life and kept an open mind to accept new things. He had a great passion for the science. He was always smiling and positive, no matter what happened. I think that is what he left me.

Yin Li – Prof. Joachim Messing was a remarkable mentor. I was one of his postdoc from 2013 – 2019. Before I was his postdoc, I did not see a clear path for my career. He provided excellent opportunities for his students and postdocs. He was visionary and had a sharp mind to identify forefronts of plant science and pinpoint which research areas we should work on. He was a natural team builder and taught the importance of seeking collaboration with others. His work on establishing the basic toolbox of molecular biology and gene cloning (i.e., the pUC series of vectors, M13 sequencing primers, the blue-white screening system and the molecular cloning methods) and in maize genomics created his international reputation. He trained generations of postdocs, graduate students and undergraduate students in plant biology and genomics. He demonstrated to us the importance of finding our own research interests and served as a source of encouragement and positive feedback. Dr. Messing was a role model and I am immensely grateful for his impact on my career. I believe other lab members share this feeling, and remember the memories we have of being in the Messing lab. Dr. Messing was a pioneer in genomics, molecular genetics and plant biology, and a Pioneer of the ASPB.

Wenqin Wang – Dr. Messing made pioneering and foundational contributions that laid the groundwork for the modern disciplines of genetics, genomics, and evolutionary biology. He pioneered “shotgun” sequencing technology, which revolutionized the field of genomics by greatly facilitating progress in the genomic era of biology. Following in his footsteps, my research has focused on studying maize functional genomics and genetic enhancement, with the goal of addressing the twin challenges of genetic diversity and quality improvement. She has published numerous papers in prestigious journals such as Nature, PNAS, and Nature Communications, and has held editorial positions at Scientific Data, Frontier in Genetics, Genes, and New Crops. After being mentored by Dr. Messing, I have guided many students to achieve outstanding results in their dissertations, poster presentations, and Shanghai Super Postdoctoral programs. To move Dr. Messing’s impact forward, I integrated sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to visualize gene expression during maize kernel development.