State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics has been established in 1986 and opened to public in 1998. It was the first batch of 18 public Laboratories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The first director was professor Ye Chaohui, member of CAS. The present director is professor Liu Maili. The director of the Academic committee is professor Li Jiaming, member of CAS.
　　The main research activities are focused on the studies of the atomic and molecular structure, dynamics, and their environmental effects by the resonance interactions of electromagnetic waves (from radio to optical frequencies). These include: methodology and application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) in the life science; high resolution NMR and its application in the study of biomolecular structure, molecular interaction and dynamics; high resolution solid state NMR and its application; cold atomic physics, the theory and experiment of quantum information and quantum communication; trapping of atoms and ions and atomic hyperfine structure; atomic structure and characteristics in strong external fields; laser spectroscopy and its applications; and high performance atomic frequency standard.
　　The Laboratory has undertaken a number of national projects, such as the 973 Projects, and the Key Projects of the NSFC and CAS. A series of impressive achievements have been obtained in the research areas mentioned above. The laboratory has received 29 awards at the state, provincial and ministry levels. More than 1500 papers have been published in international and domestic academic journals, including Science, PNAS, PRL, and JACS.