From October 27th to 31st, the 18th “ Challenge Cup” National Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Contest, co-hosted by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, China Association for Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, All-China Students’ Federation, and the Guizhou Provincial Government, took place at Guizhou University. Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM) put up an outstanding performance, with their entries making it to the national “ Challenge Cup” contest for the first time andsecuring the grand prize in the main contest. This marked a significant historical breakthrough for SJTUSM and made an important contribution to Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s attainment of the competition’s highest honor, the “ Challenge Cup”.
Name of the Project
Intelligent Exploration of Druggable Sites for Challenging Drug Targets and Their Application in Drug Design
Members of the Project Team
Advisors
Zhang Jian (Distinguished Professor and Researcher at the College of Basic Medical Sciences)
Lu Shaoyong (Professor and Researcher at the College of Basic Medical Sciences)
Introduction of the Project
Molecular drugs treat diseases by binding to target proteins. Modern drug design primarily starts from the three-dimensional structure of target proteins, identifies druggable sites on them, and designs high-affinity drug molecules based on this information. Traditional site identification methods lack understanding of the dynamic structure of target proteins, leading to difficulties in the identification. Moreover, most identified sites lack druggable potential, rendering them ineffective. To address this issue, the project developed the AlloDesigner method, which expands the static structure of target proteins to encompass their dynamic conformational space, enabling efficient and intelligent exploration of druggable sites. With this method, the project has discovered new druggable sites on the major disease target NTSR1 and selected a set of highly promising hit compounds.
The “ Challenge Cup” National Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Contest for University Students is a top event among all academic competitions for university students. It plays an important role in the development of high-level disciplines and the fostering of high-quality talents, thus receiving much attention. The SJTUSM has delivered an excellent performance in this year’s national “ Challenge Cup” contest, with remarkable new achievements. Reflecting on the journey in the contest, it has been quite challenging. The achievements stand as a testament to the joint efforts of the entire school and the unwavering dedication of the project team.
Collaborative efforts form a strong synergy. With keen attention from the main leaders of the SJTUSM, hands-on arrangement by the supervising leaders, as well as strong support and meticulous guidance from the administration of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the preparations for the national “ Challenge Cup” contest were spearheaded and coordinated by the Youth League Committee of the SJTUSM, with the College of Basic Medical Sciences providing full support and collaboration. Various functional departments within the SJTUSM were also mobilized, rallying the entire school to actively meet the challenge and laying a solid foundation for its exceptional performance in the final contest.
Determined goals drive continuous progress. Based on the requirements and the timeline of the national “ Challenge Cup” contest, the SJTUSM planned in advance and meticulously coordinated various efforts. In the early stages, a work mobilization meeting was convened to set clear goals and align ideas. In the middle stage, peer review and project follow-up meetings were held to discuss the project’s progress and collect suggestions for improvement. As the contest approached, on the one hand, the school took various initiatives to boost morale and ensure the well-being of participating faculty and students. On the other hand, preparations for the contest were intensified as the school entered the final sprint with full determination.
Unwavering dedication enables the tackling of challenges. The project team overcame various difficulties and transformed pressure into motivation in their preparations for the contest. With an unrelenting spirit, they approached their project with a rigorous and scientific mindset, dedicating themselves to intensive research and repeated scrutiny. From the city contest to the national contest, they continuously refined their work, time after time. Their enormous efforts finally paid off as they made it to the national final of the “Challenge Cup” and secured the grand prize in the main contest.
Besides, the SJTUSM has claimed another honor in the “ Black Science and Technology” Exhibition of this year’s “ Challenge Cup” contest. The“ Integrated Precision Positioning System for In-situ Laser Fenestration in the Treatment of Aortic Dissection Based on Multi-modal 3D Imaging and 3D Printing Technologies”, a project led by Hu Jiateng, a master’s student in Surgery, admitted in 2020 by the SJTUSM-affiliated Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, won the title of “ Galaxy Project”.
Congratulations to the winning projects and teams above! In the future, the SJTUSM will focus more on talent fostering in its approach to encourage innovation among students. It will strengthen the guidance of competitions, foster a vibrant atmosphere for scientific innovation, and encourage the students to pursue practicality, engage in diligent research, embrace innovation, and yield fruitful outcomes, thus enhancing their overall capabilities. The goal is to foster an innovative spirit and practical skills among the students and inspire their dedication and enthusiasm to actively contribute to scientific innovation for the benefit of the country.
Background
With a focus on the strategy of building China’s strength in science and technology, this year’s “ Challenge Cup” contest is committed to enhancing educational outcomes while consistently boosting its guiding power, credibility, and influence. The contest is actively driving reforms and optimizations, featuring a cohesive “ 1+1+2” framework that encompasses the main contest, the special contest of “ open bidding for solutions based on real-world needs”, CPC-themed special events, and the “Black Science and Technology” Exhibition. The contest has attracted over 2,000 universities nationwide, with the participation of over 400,000 projects and over 2.5 million students. The main contest awarded 117 grand prizes, 203 first prizes, 377 second prizes, and 974 third prizes (including entries from Hong Kong and Macau). The “Black Science and Technology” Exhibition featured 99 projects with “Galaxy Project” titles.
The “ Challenge Cup” National Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Contest for University Students was launched in 1989. It takes place every two years and has been held for 18 times. With the guiding principles of “ championing science, pursuing knowledge, engaging in diligent learning, daring to innovate, and embracing challenges”, the contest, after 30 years of development, has emerged as a practical platform for the widest range of young students, a second classroom that nurtures their scientific spirit, and a tangible medium that enhances their teamwork abilities and fosters their collaborative mindset. Many prize winners have gone on to become academicians, directors of national key laboratories, professors, and doctoral supervisors. The contest has left a lasting and positive impact on universities and society at large. It is hailed as the “Olympic Games” in the field of technological innovation of university students.
