Honglong Zhao is a postdoctoral researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant (CEMPS). He studies plant systems biology and works on the mathematical model construction for primary metabolism in C3 photosynthetic leaves. His goal is to seek out the metabolic targets for genetic engineering to improve photosynthetic carbon and nitrogen assimilation in C3 crops. For the RIPE project, Honglong focused on modeling photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Huazhong Agricultural University. Honglong went on to earn his doctorate from the Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology.