Faced with the increasingly severe global challenges of health and disease, translational medicine and precision medicine have become key directions for 21st-century medical advancement. To further promote international cooperation and exchange between China and France in these fields, and to establish a collaborative platform for medical science innovation, the "2nd Sino-French International Forum on Translational Medicine and Precision Medicine" was grandly inaugurated on the morning of November 13, 2024, at the French Academy of Medicine. The forum was jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the French Academy of Medicine, and hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Ruijin Hospital.
The forum featured participation from key leaders and renowned experts in life sciences, clinical medicine, and translational medicine from both countries. Notable participants included the forum’s Chinese chair, Academician Chen Zhu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who joined virtually; H.E. Lu Shaye, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to France; Wang Chen, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Academician Fan Xianqun, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Chancellor of SJTUSM; Academician Chen Saijuan, Chief Scientist of National Facility for Translational Medicine (Shanghai); and Shen Baiyong, Foreign Corresponding Member of the French Academy of Medicine and Executive Dean of the Sino-French Joint Medical School of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Opening Remarks from Distinguished Leaders
Chen Zhu delivered a video address at the forum’s opening ceremony. He emphasized the enduring friendship and collaboration between China and France over the 60 years since diplomatic ties were established, highlighting the significant achievements in economic, scientific, and cultural cooperation. He noted that exchanges in medical education, basic and clinical medicine, public health, the biopharmaceutical industry, and health policy have deepened, yielding remarkable results and serving as a vital bridge between the two nations. Chen expressed his confidence that the forum would elevate bilateral collaboration, foster original research and the translation of advanced findings, and contribute to the health and well-being of both peoples and global health.
Wang Chen, in his address, recounted the sustained efforts to build a Sino-French medical science exchange platform since 2009, when Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences signed a cooperation agreement with the French Academy of Medicine. He expressed hopes for stronger collaboration in research, medical services, and education, emphasizing cutting-edge research in foundational studies, disease cohorts, talent development, and clinical diagnostics.
Fan Xianqun reflected on a century of collaboration between Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the French medical community, citing significant achievements, particularly in medical education. He lauded the 2018 establishment of the Sino-French Joint Medical School as a landmark in bilateral cooperation. He called on the forum to enhance ties and advance the integration of medical education, research, and translational medicine to tackle pressing medical challenges.
Shen Baiyong highlighted the vital role of the Sino-French Joint Medical School in nurturing elite medical talent with clinical expertise, research capabilities, and a global perspective. He looked forward to a bright future of joint accomplishments in medical education and research.
Comprehensive Discussions and Collaborative Achievements
The forum covered seven core topics, including 21 high-quality keynote speeches and three in-depth roundtable discussions. Key themes included endocrinology exploration, surgical robotics innovation, aging-related disease research, immunology and therapeutic frontiers, AI applications in healthcare, neurodevelopment and autism mechanisms, and infectious disease advancements.
Fan Xianqun shared the success of Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s French medical class model in a session on medical education, garnering widespread praise. Shen Baiyong presented the latest advancements in robotic pancreatic surgery. In the immunology session, Chen Saijuan chaired discussions, while Su Bing, Director of the Shanghai Institute of Immunology, delivered a presentation on the "Sin1-mTOR Pathway in Immune Cell Metabolism and Growth Regulation." During roundtable sessions, Chen Zhu and Wang Chen led discussions on Sino-French healthcare cooperation, featuring contributions from Shen Baiyong, Su Bing, and Kang Li, Director ofthe Academic Planning Office at SJTUSM, among others.
Renewing the Framework Agreement
During the forum, Fan Xianqun represented Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in renewing the cooperation framework agreement with the French Academy of Medicine. This collaboration, which began in 2009, has supported students pursuing the "Sino-French Life Sciences Master’s Program" through annual scholarships. In 2017, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance exchanges in scientific talent development and high-level academic forums. The renewal signifies a deepening partnership and heralds a new chapter of diversified, high-level cooperation in medical education and research, advancing global medical science development.
