Jing Che

Jing Che received her B. Sc (Biology) and M. Sc (Zoology) from Southwest Normal University at Chongqing, China, and PhD (Herpetology) from Sichuan University, at Chengdu, China (supervisor: Prof. Er-mi Zhao). After graduation, she moved to the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIZ, CAS). Jing had her postdoctoral research visit with Prof. David B. Wake (MVZ) in 2008 and since then, she has visited Berkeley and Austin (Prof. David Hillis) and developed close collaborations with colleagues. Currently, she is the PI of the Herpetological Diversity and Evolution Unit, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution in KIZ, CAS. She serves as one of the Vice Presidents of China Herpetological Society.

The research in Che's lab focuses on exploring and understanding the patterns and mechanisms (geographic, ecological and genetic factors) of herpetofaunal diversity, and other important evolutionary issues involving their phenotypic adaptation, especially to extreme environments. Jing and her group have also involved in influencing conservation guidelines for endangered species in China. The recent work on the Chinese giant salamander in Che's lab has caught government and people's attention on its protection and management issues regarding its breeding programmes.