Academicians Lead, Experts Engage in Scholarly Exchange! The 17th Academic Festival Opening Ceremony and Frontier Forum of Zhongshan School of Medicine Grandly Commences

The 17th Academic Festival of Zhongshan School of Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University was grandly held from November 23 to November 30, 2025. As a long-standing traditional academic event of the school, the festival consistently upholds its original aspiration of "saving lives, the nation, and the world, healing diseases, bodies, and minds." It integrates a century of medical heritage with a spirit of cutting-edge innovation, committed to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and breakthroughs in scientific research, and forging a development path for medical education with Chinese characteristics.

On November 23, the opening ceremony of the 17th Academic Festival and the Frontier Medical Forum were held in the Alumni Hall of Medical Building 5 on the North Campus of Sun Yat-sen University. The forum was presided over by Professor Kuang Ming, Assistant President of Sun Yat-sen University and Dean of Zhongshan School of Medicine, along with Vice Deans Professor Zhou Jiaguo and Professor Li Boxing.

**Presided Over by Dean Kuang Ming**

**Presided Over by Vice Dean Zhou Jiaguo**

**Presided Over by Vice Dean Li Boxing**

Amid high anticipation, the forum commenced. Dean Kuang Ming reviewed the development of the Academic Festival since its inception in 2009, noting that it has become a vital platform for the school to pass on academic spirit and inspire scientific innovation. The opening ceremony brought together 15 top scholars to build an academic summit, igniting the flame of wisdom to illuminate the future of medicine.

**Morning Session · A Galaxy of Stars**  
- Academician Ma Jun from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center delivered the first lecture titled "Conducting Technological Innovation Guided by Clinical Problems—Cultivating Innovative Young Talents Through Projects," expressing his dedication to serving the nation through research.  
- Professor Qi Hai, Executive Vice Dean of the School of Medicine at Tsinghua University, analyzed "New Mechanisms in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases—The Pro-inflammatory Functions of GZMK+ CD8 T Cells," exploring the mysteries of the immune microenvironment.  
- Professor Ying Songmin, Executive Vice Dean of the School of Medicine at Zhejiang University, elaborated on "Eosinophilic Airway Inflammation and Cell Therapy," showcasing new approaches to airway treatment.  
- Professor Huang Zelei, Assistant Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, interpreted "The Significance of the Immune Microenvironment for Precision Treatment of Liver Cancer," addressing challenges in tumor therapy.  
- Professor Kuang Ming, Assistant President of Sun Yat-sen University and Dean of Zhongshan School of Medicine, discussed "The Formation and Maturation of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Liver Cancer and Their Role in Anti-Tumor Immunity," bridging translational medicine.  
- Professor Cao Nan from Zhongshan School of Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University shared insights on "Multidimensional Regulation of Mammalian Heart Regeneration," unveiling new chapters in cardiac repair.  
- Professor Yang Jianrong from Zhongshan School of Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University revealed "The Predictability of Molecular Evolution and Its Medical Applications," expanding the frontiers of evolutionary medicine.  
- Professor Chen Jun from Zhongshan School of Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University delved into "Macrophages and Tumor Immunotherapy," pioneering new pathways in cancer treatment.  
- Professor Zhang Hongbo from Zhongshan School of Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University analyzed "The Development and Aging of Human Skeletal Muscle," decoding the secrets of human aging.

**Afternoon Session · Continuing the Brilliance**  
- Researcher Pei Weihua from the Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered the first lecture on "Implantable Optoelectronic Devices and Their Applications in Neural Recording and Modulation," integrating technology with medicine.  
- Professor Zhang Rui from the School of Life Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University spoke on "Gene Therapy Using RNA Editing," employing editing techniques to combat genetic diseases.  
- Researcher Zou Peng, Vice Dean of the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering at Peking University, discussed "Chemical Probes for Neural Activity," using chemistry to unravel neurological mysteries.  
- Professor Zhao Chengjian from Sichuan University explored "Single-Cell Spatial Mapping and Analysis Strategies of the Immune Microenvironment in Tumor Patients," revealing vast insights through single-cell analysis.  
- Chief Scientist Liao Sha from the BGI Research Institute detailed "Frontier Advances in Spatiotemporal Omics Technologies," offering a panoramic view of life through spatial and temporal perspectives.  
- Professor Li Miaoxin from Zhongshan School of Medicine at Sun Yat-sen University introduced "Underlying Systems and Applied Research for High-Performance Analysis of Genomic Cohort Data," driving medicine forward with computational power.

**The On-Site Exchange Was Lively and Engaging**

**The Academic Extravaganza Continues with More Brilliance**

This year's Academic Festival featured 20 series of events, with 145 experts passionately sharing their insights. Among them, 42 were national high-level talents. The content covered numerous cutting-edge fields, including pathogenetics, immunology, brain science, stem cells, pharmacology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forensic medicine, and more.