The Key-Lab for Evolution of Past Life and Environment in                    Northeast Asia, Ministry of Education, China (“EPLENEA”) is                    a larger interdisciplinary laboratory integrating Paleontology,                    Geology, Molecular Biology and Bio-Archaeology. The Key-Lab                    is one of the main centers for research and education in China                    on paleontology, biological evolution, and their environmental                    changes. The Key-Lab mainly focuses on the biological evolution through the geological time, with major in the studies of                    paleontological taxonomy and evolution, paleoenvironment and                    fossil fuels (oil and coal), early humen being activities, and the                    paleo-DNA, etc. The main research areas are the NE Asia including the northern China.                                    

      The Key-Lab consists of four research departments inclu-                    ding of Paleontology, Paleoenvironment and fossil fuels, Bio-                    Archaeology, and Paleo-DNA, with a synthetic technique lab.                    The Key-Lab is composed of 50 staff including 45 researchers                    (containing 27 Professors and 8 Associated Professors), among                    them 32 researchers with Ph.D. degrees (64% of the staff) .                    The Key-Lab is headed by Prof. Sun G., paleobotanist.                    Academician Prof. Liu J.Q, well-known geologist (IGG,                    CAS) chairs the Scientific Committee of the Lab. Vice-                    Chaiirmen of the Committee include Prof. D.L. Dilcher (                    NAS, USA), Prof. M.Akhmetiev (Corresp. Mem., RAS),                    Prof. V. Mosbrugger (Germany), Prof. Gao K.Q. ( Peking                    Univ.,China) and Gao X. (IVPP, China). The members of                    bers of the Committee include Academician Prof. Wu X.                    Z. (anthropologist,IVPP), Prof. Zhu M.Y. (paleontologist,                    NIGPAS), etc. The leading scientists in the Key-Lab also                    include Profs. Sun C.L., Zhu H., Zhou H., Liu Z. J. and                    Wang P.J., who are the excellent specialists in studies of                    Biological evolution and their relevant researches.                    

     The Key-Lab shares to have four Post-doc. Stations                      granted by the State Council of China, including of the                Paleontology & Stratigraphy, Quaternary, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Archaeology & Museumology. Three research bases with Ministry-level attach to the Key-Lab also. In the last two years, 36 graduates have received Ph.D. or M.Sc. degrees in the Key-Lab; 114 graduates (45 for Ph.D., 69 for M.Sc., containing 6 foreign graduates) have studied the Key-Lab; and 7 post-doc. researchers are working here. Since 2008, there are 4 graduates getting the fellowships with co-supervisions of USA, Germany, Belgium and Russia. All the research work of the Key-Lab is integrated in the Programs of “211” and “985” of the China’ Ministry of Education.