Acclaimed biologist Xu Xianzhong returns to China after arrests in his US lab

Renowned biologist Xu Xianzhong has returned to China, taking up a full-time position in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, months after four researchers in his laboratory at the University of Michigan were accused by the United States of “biological material smuggling”.Xu, a fellow of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science – has joined the Shenzhen-medical-academy-of-research-and-translation" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="125528" data-entity-type="organization">Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) as a senior investigator with its Institute of Bio-Architecture and Bio-Interactions.Xu Xianzhong has returned to China, taking up a full-time position at the Shenzhen-medical-academy-of-research-and-translation" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="125528" data-entity-type="organization">Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation. Photo: HandoutThree researchers from Xu’s lab were arrested late last year, charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the US, with one additionally accused of making false statements to customs and border protection officers, according to the US Justice Department.