On July 29, the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo (EIT) held an award ceremony for the Agilent Thought Leader Award, at which Professor Zongwei Cai, Associate Vice President and Dean of the College of Science of EIT, and Member of the Academia Europaea, was honored with the award.
The Award Ceremony
The Agilent Research Catalyst Award is a global honor established by Agilent Technologies Inc. to recognize leading thinkers who have made outstanding contributions in life sciences, diagnostics, and chemical analysis. To date, fewer than 60 scholars worldwide have received this honor. Introduced to China in 2013, the award has since been presented to eight recipients in Greater China. Academician Guibin Jiang, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was the first recipient of the Agilent Research Catalyst Award in Greater China.
Professor Zongwei Cai’s innovative work in developing advanced analytical approaches for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants was a key reason for this recognition. This work represents an important direction in environmental and public health research.
Remarks by Professor Zongwei Cai
In his remarks, Professor Zongwei Cai noted that PFAS and other emerging contaminants are widely recognized as one of the major challenges in environmental and public health worldwide. Detecting these contaminants at trace levels requires continuous innovation in analytical science. Through multi-party collaboration, the development of new methods for trace contaminant detection and organoid-based toxicological studies can continue to expand research in this field. He expressed the hope that the collaboration will yield high-quality scientific results and further strengthen the link between analytical science and environmental health research.
Address by Professor Chunmiao Zheng
Professor Chunmiao Zheng, Vice President of EIT, extended sincere congratulations to Professor Zongwei Cai and a warm welcome to the guests from Agilent Technologies who had traveled from afar. He noted that Professor Zongwei Cai has devoted more than three decades to mass spectrometry and environmental toxicology research, achieving a series of breakthroughs. This award, he said, represents both high international recognition of Professor Zongwei Cai’s long-standing frontier research and a landmark honor in the disciplinary development of EIT.
Address by Mr. Ting Yang
Ting Yang, Vice President of Agilent and General Manager of Agilent Greater China, said that Professor Zongwei Cai’s research exemplifies the spirit of scientific innovation championed by the Agilent Research Catalyst Award. Over the years, Professor Zongwei Cai has continued to make breakthroughs in environmental and bioanalytical chemistry and has steadily expanded the impact of his research. Agilent is proud to support his team’s pioneering research in the analysis of PFAS and emerging contaminants. “I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Professor Zongwei Cai and his team. This honor is truly well deserved,” Yang said.
Professor Zongwei Cai is a global leader in environmental and bioanalytical chemistry. His research focuses on developing advanced methods for detecting trace environmental contaminants, including PFAS, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and persistent organic pollutants. His work integrates highly sensitive analytical techniques with organoid-based toxicological models to gain deeper insights into how environmental contaminants affect human health. The award-winning research project integrates advanced mass spectrometry, innovative sample preparation methods, and an organoid-based toxicology platform to link chemical detection with biological impact.
The goal of Professor Zongwei Cai’s team is to establish a more comprehensive system for assessing environmental contaminants and their potential health impacts.
EIT Campus
Looking ahead, EIT will further deepen university–industry collaboration, jointly promote the translation of more original achievements addressing global public health needs, and inject sustained innovation into both industry development and disciplinary advancement.
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