Exploring Cutting-Edge Technologies in Precision Medicine: The 6th Chengdu International Forum on Precision Medicine Concludes Successfully

On September 26, 2020, the 6th Chengdu International Forum on Precision Medicine was successfully held in Jinjiang, Chengdu. Centered on the theme “Frontier Technologies and Clinical Translation in Precision Medicine,” the conference explored the cutting-edge developments and future trends in precision medicine, shared achievements in clinical translation, and discussed the current status, opportunities, and challenges of scientific innovation and industrial development in the field of precision medicine.

It is reported that the conference was hosted by Sichuan University and organized by West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The event invited Academicians Yu Quan Wei, Jinming Yu, Fusheng Wang, and Xiuwu Bian from the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Foreign Academician Barry J. Marshall from the Chinese Academy of Engineering; and Academician Everett Peter Greenberg from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, along with renowned scholars and industry leaders in the field of precision medicine from both China and abroad.

The conference kicked off with opening remarks delivered by Professor Li Weimin, President of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, as well as leaders from Sichuan University and the Chengdu Municipal Government. The main forum, themed around precision medicine and the human microbiome, featured academic presentations on hot topics including the diagnosis, vaccine development, and clinical treatment of COVID-19 in the context of the 2020 pandemic, along with advances in tumor diagnosis and therapy.

The conference commenced, with Academician Bian Xiuwu delivering the keynote address titled"Pathology of COVID-19"themed speech, in which he shared how his team conducted autopsies on COVID-19 patients during the pandemic to elucidate the pathological features of SARS-CoV-2, rationally deduced the pathogenesis of COVID-19 based on these findings, and ultimately established a comprehensive biobank of COVID-19 samples.

Academician Yu Jinming centered on"New Practices in Precision Radiotherapy"Focusing on this theme, we reviewed the developmental trajectory of clinical tumor radiotherapy technologies and the paradigm shifts in radiation oncology. We ultimately proposed rational recommendations for integrating tumor radiotherapy with more cutting-edge anticancer technologies, and demonstrated the efficacy of such combination therapies through clinical practice, showing that they can significantly improve cure rates for cancer patients.

Conference Live Broadcast: Academician Wang Fusheng Delivered a Presentation Online"Clinical Immunological Features and Immunotherapy of COVID-19", ranging from the clinical features of COVID-19 to advances in immunotherapy for the disease, with particular emphasis on the promising outcomes achieved by their team in stem cell therapy for COVID-19 and its anticipated application scenarios.

Around"Progress in COVID-19 Vaccine Development"At the conference, Academician Wei Yuquan shared insights on the microbiological characteristics and clinical features of COVID-19, as well as the five current technological pathways for COVID-19 vaccine development.

Subsequently, Nobel laureate Academician Barry J. Marshall focused on"Public Health, COVID-19 Vaccines, New Technologies, and Precision Medicine"delivered an all-English speech online on the topic of , and Dean Everett Peter Greenberg of the University of Washington also spoke at the main forum of this conference.“Evolution of the Respiratory Pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Chronic Pulmonary Infections”Lecture.

In the afternoon session of the main forum, Professor Zhang Kang from Macau University of Science and Technology, Researcher Tang Fuchou from Peking University, Professor Kang Yujian from West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Professor Fu Xinyuan from West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Professor Gong Qiyong, Vice President of West China Hospital, and Dr. Li Weimin, Professor in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, delivered keynote speeches in succession on the themes of precision medicine and microbiota.

In addition to the main forum, three parallel sessions themed “Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Tumors,” “Microbiology and Infectious Diseases,” and “Translational Medicine and Industrial Innovation” were held on September 27. Distinguished scholars and industry leaders from various sectors of precision medicine delivered academic presentations aligned with their respective session themes, further showcasing cutting-edge technologies in precision medicine and jointly promoting the industrialization of innovative achievements.