How Data and Algorithms Are Accelerating Oncology Drug Discovery
The sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 ushered in a period of profound global transformation unseen in a century. Changes that would have unfolded over the next fifty years have been accelerated and compressed into the coming decade, with scientific and technological advancements being rapidly integrated into socioeconomic spheres. Technological development has reached the starting point of a new cycle, where a new wave of innovations—spearheaded by artificial intelligence and biomedicine—will reshape our world.
Technology serves societal needs. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, digital technology has rapidly become a crucial force in humanity’s fight against the virus, exemplified by AI-assisted medical imaging for diagnosis and treatment, as well as improved efficiency and precision in drug development. Technology drives industrial growth; after the pandemic, digital transformation across all sectors accelerated significantly, such as using AI for drug repurposing to speed up the R&D of COVID-19 drugs and vaccines. Technology explores the future: advancements in data computing and cloud-native technologies will reshape IT systems, triggering a “bit transition” that ultimately converges with various industries to bring about “scenario-based transformations,” such as personalized diagnosis and treatment enabled by digitalization. As AI collides with biomedicine, will it spark a Cambrian explosion in the biomedical sector?
Under the guidance of the Science and Technology Innovation Committee of Suzhou Industrial Park, the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., and hosted by the Suzhou Institute for Drug Innovation, the Kanglin Tumor Technology Innovation Research Institute, Suzhou Industrial Park Bio-Bay Development Co., Ltd., Suzhou Industrial Park Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., and the Huawei (Suzhou) Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center, and organized by the Case Club, the “BT+IT Convergence Innovation and Development Summit” was officially launched on March 27 to promote the integration and collaboration between the biotechnology (BT) and information technology (IT) industries in Suzhou Industrial Park.
Subject: From Points to Surfaces, Backward Design from the End Goal, Embracing Technology, and Achieving Breakthrough Innovation! Sections: Overview of Trends, Technological Advances, Infrastructure, Scenario-Based Applications, and Governance Structure
Guiding Organizations:
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Suzhou Industrial Park Science and Technology Innovation Committee
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Organizer:
Suzhou Institute for Drug Innovation, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Huawei (Suzhou) Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center
Suzhou Industrial Park Kanglin Oncology Technology Innovation Research Institute
Suzhou Industrial Park Bio-Industry Development Co., Ltd.
Suzhou Industrial Park Technology Development Co., Ltd.
Organizer:
Kaisi Club
Co-organizers:
Ernst & Young Hua Ming Certified Public Accountants, VCBeat, PharmCube
Event Duration
Monday, April 26, 2021, 13:00–17:20
Venue
Suzhou Industrial Park (specific location to be provided upon approval)
Event Agenda
Event Guests
Ren Feng, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer, Insilico Medicine
Head of Drug R&D
Dr. Ren Feng earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University in the United States in 2007. He has over a decade of experience in small-molecule innovative drug R&D at multinational pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). At GSK, he held various leadership positions, including Principal Scientist, Associate Director, Director, and Head of the Chemistry Department. He successfully developed multiple clinical candidate compounds and clinical compounds for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, pain, and psoriasis. In 2018, Dr. Ren joined Shanghai Medicilon Inc., serving as Vice President and later Senior Vice President, where he was fully responsible for the R&D service operations of the Chemistry and Biology Departments, as well as the company’s drug discovery platform services. In 2019, the company successfully listed on the STAR Market. In 2021, he joined Insilico Medicine as Chief Scientific Officer, overseeing the development of preclinical/clinical product pipelines using the company’s artificial intelligence platform and managing external project collaborations. Dr. Ren has published more than 30 international academic papers and holds over 20 international patents.
Qin Gang, Ph.D.
Founder/Chairman/CEO of Qide Medicine
Experience:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry;
Project Leader, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, German Research Foundation
Researcher, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences;
Nanjing 321 Leading Talent in Technology Entrepreneurship;
Suzhou Industrial Park Science and Technology Leading Talent;
Education:
Nankai University, Bachelor of Biochemistry, Master of Molecular Biology;
Ph.D. in Neurobiology, University of Göttingen / Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
Zhou Jundong, Ph.D.
Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor
Director, Department of Radiation Oncology, Suzhou Municipal Hospital
Concurrently serves as Director of the Oncology Center Laboratory
Visiting Scholar at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Oklahoma in the United States; Visiting Scholar in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the National Cancer Center Hospital East in Japan; One of the “Top Ten Outstanding Youths” in the Suzhou Health System; Third-Tier Trainee of Jiangsu Province’s “333 Project”; Leading Talent in the Jiangsu Provincial Health System; Trainee of Jiangsu Province’s “Six Major Talent Peaks” Program; Gusu “Key Health Talent.”
Professional Affiliations:
Young Committee Member of the Tumor Marker Professional Committee, China Anti-Cancer Association
Member of the Head and Neck Oncology Committee, CSCO
Member of the Committee on Precision Oncology, Jiangsu Medical Doctor Association
Member of the Tumor Immunology Committee, Jiangsu Provincial Society for Immunology
Member of the Stereotactic Radiotherapy Professional Group, Committee on Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Medical Association
Committee Member of the Tumor Marker Special Committee, Jiangsu Anti-Cancer Association
Youth Committee Member, Professional Committee on Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Anti-Cancer Association
Executive Director of the Suzhou Society for Oncology Biotherapy
Member of the Committee on Radiation Oncology, Suzhou Medical Association
Dr. Fan Liu
Co-founder & CTO of Xingkangyuan Biotechnology
Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), specializing in computational models for cancer immunology. Deciphers and predicts various protein functions by combining molecular dynamics simulations of protein structures with machine learning methods. Previously served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) and as a Principal Investigator in Computational Chemistry at BeiGene, participating in multiple basic and translational research projects for new drug development.
Wang Lingyu, Ph.D.
Researcher, Kanglin Institute of Oncology Technology Innovation
Ph.D. from the University of Miami, postdoctoral fellow at Duke University, and visiting scientist in the Aviv Regev laboratory at the Broad Institute. Utilizes tools such as single-cell multi-omics, genomics, and bioinformatics to support translational cancer research, providing foundational evidence for precision oncology therapeutics. Has published more than 10 SCI-indexed papers in academic journals including Nature Ecology & Evolution and Development, covering areas such as the Wnt signaling pathway, cell development, and genomic evolution.
Li Wei, Ph.D.
Associate Chief Physician, Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
M.D., Associate Chief Physician, Associate Professor, Master’s Supervisor
Postdoctoral Fellow, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, USA
Principal Investigator of 3 National Natural Science Foundation of China Grants
Published more than 50 SCI papers as the first/corresponding author
Jiangsu Province "Six Major Talent Peaks" High-Level Talents
Jiangsu Province “Strengthening Healthcare through Science and Education” Young Medical Talents
International Association of Pancreatology Young Investigator's Award
Member of the Pancreatic Cancer Expert Committee, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
Member of the Young Experts Committee, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
Young Committee Member, Tumor Nutrition Professional Committee, China Anti-Cancer Association
Young Committee Member, Professional Committee on Integrative Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Oncology, China Anti-Cancer Association
Young Committee Member, Colorectal Tumor Professional Committee, Chinese Medical Doctor Association
Mr. Zhang Lizhi
Founder/CEO of Jinan Hetai Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd.
With nearly 16 years of experience in clinical research, I have led and participated in over 100 clinical trials (including pilot studies). These encompass Phase I–II trials for Class I innovative drugs and novel small molecules; Phase I–III trials for innovative large-molecule drugs and biosimilars; validation trials for generic drugs; and bioequivalence studies/505(b)(2) clinical trials. I have organized and conducted multiple international clinical studies, with several generic drugs approved for marketing in the United States, Europe, Canada, and other countries.
• Conducted the first radiolabeled human pharmacokinetic study in China.• Among the first in China to conduct early-stage clinical trials via proof-of-concept approaches.• Conducted the first human radiopharmaceutical pharmacokinetic trial in China, establishing standards for ethics and clinical operations.• Among the first in China to conduct PK-PD and population pharmacokinetic (PPK) trials.• Conducted China’s first Phase III immunogenicity trial for macromolecules.• Among the first to conduct clinical trials on innovative pathways for macromolecules.• Among the first in China to conduct bioequivalence (BE) trials for US Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA).• The first generic drug approved with consistency evaluation in China following the “722 Storm.”
Liu Jingxin, Ph.D.
Hengdao Pathology Medical Big Data and Artificial Intelligence R&D Center
Technical Director & Chief Scientist
Ph.D. in Computer Vision from the University of Nottingham, UK, with extensive research experience in digital imaging, machine vision, and medical imaging. Specializing in digital pathology image analysis, he has published dozens of papers on this topic at major international conferences and journals. In 2019, he joined Hengdao Medical Pathology Diagnostic Center as Director of Artificial Intelligence Technology. As project leader, he spearheaded several key initiatives, including the “Special Development Fund Key Project” under the Shanghai Zhangjiang National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone and the “AI-Based Pathological Diagnosis and Reporting System” funded by the Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Center. In 2020, he was awarded the “Shanghai Baoshan District May 1st Labor Medal.”
Guo Lingchuan, Ph.D.
Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor, and Associate Professor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
Director, Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
Member, Pathology Branch, Chinese Medical Association
Vice Chairman of the 12th Young Committee of the Pathology Branch, Chinese Medical Association
Deputy Head, Lymphoma Group, Pathology Branch, Chinese Medical Association
Chairman, Pathology Branch of the Jiangsu Medical Association
Standing Committee Member, Pathology Professional Committee, China International Exchange and Promotion Association for Medical and Healthcare
Standing Committee Member, Pathology Committee of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
Standing Committee Member of the Chinese Society of Pathologists
Standing Committee Member, Pathology Equipment Branch, China Association of Medical Equipment
Deputy Director, Pathology Diagnosis Department, China Association of Medical Equipment
Standing Committee Member, Special Committee on Ultrastructural and Molecular Pathology, Chinese Research Hospital Association
Vice President, Pathology Branch of the Jiangsu Medical Doctor Association
Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Pathology Quality Control Center
Vice Chairman, Pathology Branch, Jiangsu Anti-Cancer Association
Yan Qing, Ph.D.
Medical Director, Singleron Biotechnologies Co., Ltd.
Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Miami; Postdoctoral Fellow at Duke University; Visiting Scientist at the Broad Institute; Member of the China Science Writers Association. Possesses extensive research experience across multiple fields, including disease animal models, neurobiology, and bioinformatics. Currently leads the clinical translation of large-scale single-cell sequencing technologies.
Meng Xin, Ph.D.
Director of Product, Huawei Cloud Medical AI Agent
Product Director of Huawei Cloud EI Healthcare. Dedicated to the digitalization and intelligent transformation of healthcare, with extensive experience in bioinformatics, gene sequencing, clinical analysis, and drug R&D. Responsible for the design and development of several national-level precision medicine platforms and enterprise-grade information systems. Expertise in data analysis and application, holding multiple invention patents and software copyrights in product design, R&D, validation, production, and commercialization.
Ding Hongxia, Ph.D. CEO & Co-Founder, Pharmadex Jingwei Information Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
Specializing in medicinal chemistry, he graduated from Zhejiang University and the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with over 12 years of experience in innovative drug R&D projects. In 2013, he co-founded Pharmacodia and serves as its CEO, establishing China’s first proprietary “Global Drug R&D Big Data Platform—Pharmacodia Data.” Prior to founding Pharmacodia, he served as Senior Director of R&D in the Chemistry Department at Shenogen Pharma and as a Senior Team Leader at BioDuro. Over the past eight years, he has been invited to author the annual review article “Synthetic Approaches to the Year’s New Drugs,” published in journals such as the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. This review has ranked as the most downloaded article in these journals for five consecutive years.
Mr. Liu Xue
Suzhou Liangyihui Network Technology Co., Ltd.
Head of Digital Clinical Research Division
Graduated from Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University. Possesses 10 years of experience in clinical research data management and digital platform development, with the past four years dedicated to exploring the application of artificial intelligence technologies—such as natural language processing and computer vision—in data management for clinical research. Early in his career, he served as a Quality Assurance (QA) specialist at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, where he supported nearly 20 international and domestic multicenter clinical trials. He subsequently held positions as Medical Data Product Manager at Keyanbao (Xinyu) and Deputy Director of Medical Products at Fosun Zhijian under the Fosun Group. In these roles, he led product design, business development, and implementation for clinical research data management platforms and hospital-based big data platforms for scientific research. In 2020, he joined Good Doctor Hui, where he is responsible for building digital platforms and driving digital business initiatives related to digital clinical research.
Mr. Zhou Jun
Yonyou Network Technology Co., Ltd.
Manager, Pharmaceutical & Agricultural Solutions Business Unit
With years of experience in the ERP industry, dedicated to research and practice in the field of enterprise information system construction. Primarily engaged in R&D management of ERP systems for pharmaceutical commerce, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and general manufacturing enterprises, having participated in the delivery of multiple large-scale projects. Possesses a deep understanding of mainstream development platform frameworks and software architecture.
[Key Projects & Development Achievements]
R&D of NC Pharmaceutical Industry Products V631, V632, V65, and NCC
Shenzhen Neptunus Bioengineering Group | Project Director
Taiji Group | Project Director
Jinma Pharmaceutical | Project Director
Hangzhou Zhongmei Huadong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | Protocol Consultant
Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. | Solution Consultant
China Traditional Chinese Medicine | Solution Consultant
NC Manufacturing V5.6, V5.7, V5.71, V5.72, V5.75, V6.0
NC Equipment Manufacturing V6.31
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