On June 15, 2026, Shanghai Jiao Tong University successfully hosted its Master Distinguished Lecture at the Minhang Campus. The event featured a special academic presentation by Dr. Jan E. Leach, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University, titled "Plant Health and Food Security in a Changing Climate." Party Secretary of the School Xu Fang, Vice Dean Niu Yuge, and Tenured Associate Professor Zhu Bo attended the event, along with faculty and students from across the university.

The lecture was moderated by Vice Dean Niu Yuge. In her opening remarks, she extended a warm welcome to Professor Leach, noting that the forum’s focus on plant health and climate change is of great significance for advancing agricultural science and food security research.

At the event, Party Secretary Xu Fang presented Professor Leach with a clay figurine souvenir rich in Chinese cultural heritage as a gesture of gratitude and respect for her visit and scholarly sharing.

In her presentation, Professor Leach elaborated on the core concept of the "phytobiome," systematically explaining the mechanisms by which plant–microbe–environment interactions affect crop health under climate change. Using the rice bacterial blight pathosystem as a case study, she discussed pathogen infection strategies, plant immune responses, and the stability of disease resistance genes under multiple environmental stresses.

Following the lecture, Professor Leach engaged in an in-depth exchange with faculty and students, discussing cutting-edge topics such as "synergistic crop resistance mechanisms," "pathogen evolution and adaptation strategies," and "breeding for disease resistance under multi-stress conditions." The lively and interactive session further stimulated reflection among participants on plant pathology and sustainable agricultural development.

The successful hosting of this Master Distinguished Lecture not only provided faculty and students with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with a world-class scientist but also further strengthened international academic collaboration and exchange in plant science and frontier agricultural research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.