Recently, the results of the 2025 Hainan “Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker” campaign, jointly organized by the Hainan Association for Science and Technology, the Publicity Department of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the CPC, and the Department of Science and Technology of Hainan Province, were announced. After extensive mobilization, organizational recommendations, expert review, and public disclosure, ten individuals were selected. Dr. Zhao Zifang, R&D General Manager of Hainan Huayan Collagen Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Hainan Huayan”), was awarded the title of 2025 Hainan “Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker.”

This honor not only recognizes Dr. Zhao Zifang’s achievements in scientific research and teaching focused on small-molecule bioactive peptides but also affirms Hainan Huayan’s commitment to technological innovation and serving public health. The selected “Most Beautiful Science and Technology Workers” are outstanding representatives of Hainan’s scientific community. In fields such as basic research, technological breakthroughs, healthcare, and grassroots science education, they uphold scientific ethics, dedicate themselves with diligence, and exemplify the spirit of scientists through concrete actions, demonstrating the mission and responsibility of science and technology workers in the new era.

Dr. Zhao Zifang, a Ph.D. from Ocean University of China, is a senior engineer, postgraduate supervisor, high-level talent in Hainan, and a national leading talent in technological innovation. He currently serves as Director of the Haikou Bio-Peptide Engineering Technology R&D Center and the Hainan Provincial Bio-Peptide Engineering Technology Research Center. He has long been dedicated to research and promotion in food engineering and small-molecule bioactive peptide technology. In recent years, he has led five provincial and municipal key R&D projects, filed 22 national invention patents, published 10 high-level SCI papers, authored one monograph, and drafted five national and industry standards.

Achieving Technological Breakthroughs Through Independent Innovation
Bioactive peptides are small-molecule compounds composed of 2–50 amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Their molecular structures resemble precisely folded “information cards,” retaining basic amino acid structures while forming unique bioactive centers through specific sequences and spatial conformations. Compared to proteins, bioactive peptides have smaller molecular weights (typically <10 kDa) and better water solubility, enabling them to reach target tissues quickly.

Food-derived bioactive peptides, with functionalities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, have become key ingredients in China’s functional food industry. However, in the past, production technologies and the industry for bioactive peptide products were dominated by foreign countries, leading to high prices and severely constraining domestic industry development.

To bridge this gap, independent innovation was the only way forward. Dr. Zhao Zifang led Hainan Huayan’s R&D team, leveraging Hainan’s environmental, resource, and policy advantages to upgrade and iterate small-molecule bioactive peptide production in areas such as molecular weight, targeted enzymatic cleavage, and targeted delivery. From high-end peptide products like collagen tripeptide with superior market quality to elastin peptides and anserine that broke through international technological barriers, and even collagen cyclic dipeptide—achieved after thousands of development attempts and pioneering a global technological breakthrough—the journey from being constrained by external dependence to leading international innovation epitomizes Hainan Huayan’s development path and mirrors the progress of various industries in China.

Building Platforms to Facilitate Achievement Transformation
If breakthroughs in the laboratory represent “from 0 to 1″ originality, transforming scientific and technological achievements into real productivity is a more complex “from 1 to 100″ systematic project. How can innovation truly take root in industries and serve regional development?

As a private enterprise, Hainan Huayan faced challenges such as a shortage of high-end talent. Technologies that performed well in the laboratory often saw significant drops in production efficiency when scaled up. To address this, Dr. Zhao Zifang promoted the establishment of a joint postgraduate training base with Ocean University of China, fostering deep collaboration in teaching, research, and social practice. This initiative realized “resource sharing and mutual benefit,” contributing to talent cultivation for the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Thanks to this successful collaboration, Hainan Huayan’s flagship product, “collagen cyclic dipeptide,” was successfully developed and stably produced, earning two national patents. Recognizing the advantages of talent collaboration, Hainan Huayan later partnered with Hainan University, Sun Yat-sen University, and other institutions to advance R&D reserves for import substitution products, striving to achieve domestic production of peptide products.

Furthermore, Dr. Zhao Zifang has actively promoted the development of related bio-peptide engineering technology research centers, fostering integrated development of “discipline—talent—industry.” This ensures that scientific research transcends papers and patents, establishing a pathway for transforming achievements into practical applications that thrive in factories and markets, effectively driving talent cultivation, technological innovation, and industrial development.

From molecular mechanism research in the laboratory to production lines in factories, Dr. Zhao Zifang has consistently used technology to solve challenges and education to nurture research talent. In the journey of building a “Healthy China,” he vividly embodies the mission of science and technology workers: “dedication to the country, scaling new heights, and serving the people.”