In 1965, scientists from the CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science (formerly the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry), together with collaborators, synthesized for the first time in the world a protein with the same chemical structure as natural insulin molecules, which also possesses complete biological activity.

This marked the world’s first artificial synthesis of a protein, signifying a monumental leap forward in humanity’s quest to unravel the nature of life.

It was hailed as a “model of cutting-edge research” in China.

This research not only demonstrated that China had entered the forefront of peptide and protein synthesis worldwide, but also accelerated related research and production efforts.