On November 2, the "BioTianfu·CAS 2018 Forum on Life Science and Technology Industry Development & 25th Jinqiao Industrial Technology Innovation Conference", hosted by Chengdu High Investment Biological Medicine Park Management Co., Ltd. (Tianfu Life Science Park), Shanghai Academy of Science & Technology, Chengdu Library and Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, was held in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone. It was also the first session of Jinqiao Industrial Technology Innovation Conference that has been held in Chengdu. Some 200 guests, including famous experts, research institutes, teacher and student representatives of some college and universities, and official of relevant government departments from Shanghai and Chengdu, attended the meeting.

Hot discussion of experts on deep integration of big data and precision medicine

The forum invited famous experts from domestic colleges and universities, research institutes, medicine enterprises, R&D institutions, medical institutions, and management agencies to deliver keynote and thematic speeches, such as Yang Shengli, an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Zhang Dan, Executive Chairman of FMD K&L, Li Yixue, Director of the Biomedicine Big Data Center of Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huang Wei, Director of Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai, and He Wei, Founder and Chairman of Geno Biotech (China) Co., Limited. The forum came in the theme "Healthy China--Big Data and Precision Medicine", consisting of sub-themes "Big data and life health management" and "The industrial development and investment of precision medicine". The forum served as a professional exchange platform for life science research institutions, medical service agencies, medicine R&D enterprises, and IT R&D agencies, aiming for the application and conversion of life science research results, technical innovation, and industrial integration. The forum scene featured a strong academic atmosphere, and rich and cutting-edge contents, thus well-received among attendees.

With the integration of AI, life science, and big data, medical big data will present people not only optimal diagnosis and treatment plans, but also data mining and sifting, which heralds huge leapfrog in medical field, makes "precision medicine" possible, offers right guidance to the changes of lifestyle in the future, and thus changing the way people live. Yang Shengli, an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, shared research results of big data in intelligent medicine field, triggering hot response and discussion among the audience.

 In his speech, academician Yang Shengli noted that the goal of digital health is to realize precision medicine and enhance diagnosis and treatment capabilities while taking a patient-centered approach. Biomedicine big data include physiome, medical big data, and mobile sensor. With big data and digital health network, doctors can have an overall understanding of patients, and combine treatment model and working process with patients' health management in a better way in a patient-centered treatment model in a real sense.

The inauguration of Chengdu Biomedical Technology Cooperation Center marks closer Shanghai-Chengdu cooperation 

On that day, Chengdu Biomedical Technology Cooperation Center was inaugurated. As such, Tianfu Life Science Park, Shanghai Academy of Science & Technology, and Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute will harness their respective strength to boost cross-field exchanges and communication and cooperation among outstanding talents and teams, enhance the initiative and creation capability in the conversion of scientific and technological results, and build a hub for fruits spill-over and talent flow.

According to Shen Yuedong, a research fellow of Shanghai Academy of Science & Technology and Director of the Strategic Consulting Center of Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, Shanghai and Chengdu can cooperate in a wide range of areas, for which human is the essential factor. Based on information sharing and communication, the establishment of Chengdu Biomedical Technology Cooperation Center will leverage on the distinctive strength of Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute in gene sequencing, big data, and stem cell, and promote cooperation and exchanges between Chengdu and Shanghai. "Taking gene sequencing as an example, Shanghai enjoys sound hardware facilities. Catering to the needs of Chengdu side, the Strategic Consulting Center can function as a service station and undertake some projects or launch talent training." said Shen Yuedong.

As of 2017, Chengdu Hi-tech Zone had been honored as "Chengdu National Biological Industry Base", "National Chinese Medicine Modernization Science and Technology Industry Base", "Pilot Demonstration Zone of Drug Listing Permit Holder System", and others. In the ranking of biomedicine industry competitiveness in national hi-tech zones in 2017, Chengdu Hi-tech Zone made it to top 10 for the first time, ranking 7th.

"Chengdu Hi-tech Zone is working to nurture biomedicine into a pillar industry worth hundreds of billions yuan. For this purpose, we have rolled out many measures in industrial policy support, fintech, collaborative innovation, international communication and cooperation, and other aspects. At this point, a slew of world renowned biological enterprises have settled down." According to the responsible persons of Chengdu High-tech Zone, as one of three leading industries in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, bioindustry has shaped key industrial clusters like high-end chemical drug, biological agent, medical apparatus and instruments, and modern traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, Chengdu's bioindustry consists of some 1,500 biomedicine enterprises, which generated output RMB 27 billion in 2017. In 2017, there were over 700 projects of biological enterprises under research, 49 varieties of Type-I new drug under research or being put into market, and 30 platforms. At this point, bioindustry in Chengdu Hi-tech Zone has introduced six Nobel laureate teams, four teams of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, six teams of international academicians, 34 experts of "The Recruitment Program of Global Experts", 126 experts of "Sichuan 1,000 Talents Program", and 143 experts of "Chengdu Talents Program". Over 35 thousand people engage in the industry, including some 4,000 with master degree or above.

As a key vehicle of Chengdu Hi-tech Zone in developing biomedicine industry, Tianfu Life Science Park is China's important biomedicine R&D and innovation center and industrial incubation center built with the support of Sichuan Province, Chengdu City, and Chengdu Hi-tech Zone. It is a park planned and built according to the "13th Five Year Plan" of Sichuan Province, a portal of life science industry in western China, and also a key base for international medicine and medical institutions to cooperate with western China in R&D, and a platform for the integration of industry, university, and research. Phase I of Tianfu Life Science Park has built an area of 220 thousand square meters, and the total planned building area of Phase II will be around 294 thousand square meters, which is estimated to be put into use in November 2018. Tianfu Life Science Park currently is home to some 180 biomedicine enterprises and over 6,000 working staff, including one Nobel laureate, 11 experts of "The Recruitment Program of Global Experts", 29 experts of "Sichuan 1,000 Talents Program", and six provincial-level top-notch innovation and entrepreneurship teams.

"The development of biological industry calls for sustained efforts and a sound atmosphere." According to the responsible person of Chengdu High-tech Zone, up to date, Chengdu High-tech Zone has rolled out policies centering on the ecosphere building of leading industries here (electronic information, biomedicine, and new economy). Based on existing industrial foundation, Chengdu High-tech Zone will make greater efforts in international openness and cooperation, push for institute-industry cooperation, and shape strategic new industries with global competitiveness. (Yuan Hong)