The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology (SLMB)established in the Shanghai In-stitute of Biochemistry was approved by the State Commission of Planning and the StateCommission of Science and Technology in 1986.Since 1987,SLMB has openedto Chinese and foreign scientists to make research on molecular biology.Ⅰ.RESEARCH FIELDSMolecular biology has become a leading discipline in the life sciences through theinteraction of biology with chemistry and physics.Understanding the biological world is a pre-requisite to reforming it for the welfare of mankind.Basic research on molecular biology has