The Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology of CAS was established in 1987, is the first ministry-level research facility in marine science in China. It focuses on the key theory and technology of resources exploration and sustainable utilization; in-depth studying the structure and its components of the marine biological system and revealing the raw of life activity; newly developing the high technology associated with the efficient utilization of resources, promoting the marine economy to develop faster and more coordinated, and keeping the marine environment to be better. Research contents include reproductive development and cell engineering, biochemical and physiological processes and control, genetics and genetic engineering, immunology, pathogenic microbiology and disease prevention, marine natural products and biological products, etc. Many major national projects have been conducted in the laboratory, including the “973 Project”, “863 Project” and some key programs of National Natural Science Foundation of China. Scientists at the laboratory proposed an artificial-controlling theory for development and reproduction of mariculture species, which provides a scientific basis for strain improvement and inheritance operation; clarified the molecular mechanism of the disease causes of the major cultured organisms, which establishes the theoretical basis of the immune control for the cultured organisms; constructed the drug-screening mode of marine natural products and lead compounds, which provides the new materials and new ways to research and develop the marine drug; improved the transgenic system of large algae as well as the nuclear and chloroplast transformation of energy microalgae ( hydrogen-producing and oil-producing), which lays a foundation of the metabolic regulation of genetic engineering; systematically investigated the molecular mechanisms of algae to stress, clarified the collaborative relationship between the photosynthetic electron transfers and main metabolic processes, which establishes theoretical basis for regulating of alga development; established a core collection for mariculture species for keeping strain quality; selecting the new strains (including Litopenaeus vannamei and Asparagus officinalis), which provides the better strains for seawater aquaculture.
The basic theories and key technologies associated with the blue agriculture represented by the mariculture leads the development of the marine agriculture and high-tech research in China, establishes the leadship of China in the mariculture areas in the world, makes important contribution for promoting the sustainable development of the marine economy.