The UM-Tongji Frontiers Science Center Joint Symposium, jointly organised by the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM), the Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology (FSCPO) of UM and the Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research of Tongji University, was held at UM. The symposium brought together many experts, researchers, students and healthcare professionals in the field of biomedical sciences.

In his speech, Ge Wei, vice rector of UM, said that UM has made tremendous progress in research development over the past decade, particularly in the university’s strategic research areas such as precision oncology. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024, UM entered the top 200 for the first time in clinical and health subjects. In addition, the stem cell research team led by Xu Renhe, associate dean of FHS, has received a grant from the National Key R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. Their research project is also the first project on stem cells and organ repair in Macao to have received such grant, demonstrating UM’s research excellence in clinical and health sciences.

Gao Shaorong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, dean of the School of Life Sciences and Technology at Tongji University and director of the Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research of Tongji University, said that he and his delegation were honoured to be invited to attend the symposium. He also expressed hope that in addition to the establishment of the Joint Cancer Stem Cell Laboratory of University of Macau–Tongji University in 2020, the two universities will conduct more high-level interdisciplinary collaborations through this academic platform.

Under the theme ‘Cell Fate & Disease’, the symposium featured 16 academic presentations on the latest research development, translation, and challenges in precision oncology and stem cell research. The presentations were delivered by leading scientists from the two frontier science centers, including Gao Shaorong; Yue Rui, vice dean of the School of Life Sciences and Technology at Tongji University and vice director of the Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research of Tongji University; Mao Zhiyong, director of the Clinical and Translational Research Center of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital affiliated to Tongji University; Li Chong, executive deputy director of the Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research of Tongji University; Chuxia Deng, dean of FHS and chief scientist of FSCPO at UM; as well as Xu Renhe and Chen Guokai, scientists of FSCPO at UM. They discussed topics including epigenetic regulation of early embryo development and somatic cell reprogramming, hematopoietic stem cell rejuvenation, stem cells for therapeutic application and cancer research, and strategies to identify and overcome cancer drug resistance.

The symposium was the first academic event organised by UM in collaboration with the two prestigious national research centers. It not only brought together the leading experts and scholars in the fields of precision oncology and stem cell research, but also provided an excellent exchange platform for interdisciplinary and innovative research collaboration to further promote technological advances in medical sciences for the benefit of human health.

Source: Faculty of Health Sciences
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