On July 2, 2024, Nieng Yan, Founding President of SMART and Director of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, led a team to Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) for an academic exchange of the Advanced Rare Diseases Joint Research Center. Attendees included PUMCH President Dr. Shuyang Zhang, heads of various departments at PUMCH—such as the Rare Diseases Department, Nuclear Medicine, Nephrology, Neurology, Oncology Medical Center, Advanced Diagnostic Technology Platform, Biobank Platform, and Virtual Human Platform—as well as representatives from SMART and the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory (SZBL).

During the meeting, researchers shared groundbreaking advancements across multiple disciplines. Dr. Ke Zhang presented his research on rare neurological disorders, outlining a comprehensive approach from assisted diagnosis and mechanism research to treatment. His team has identified multiple potential therapeutic targets through a well-structured process involving disease modeling, mechanistic analysis, and clinical validation. Looking forward, his group aims to build a collaborative platform with PUMCH to establish innovative diagnostic and treatment models for rare diseases. Dr. Qiyu Peng shared progress in advanced molecular imaging technology, including high-performance animal imaging, human brain imaging, whole-body imaging, PET-guided real-time radiotherapy, and multimodal imaging. His team’s newly developed brain-specific PET imaging system promises impactful applications in diagnosing and treating neurological conditions. The group envisions future collaborations with PUMCH in fields like advanced nuclear medicine, radiopharmaceuticals, and big data for molecular imaging.

The meeting atmosphere was vibrant and collaborative, with presenters engaging in rich academic discussions with PUMCH doctors, leading to in-depth explorations of the presented research.

Before the academic exchange, the delegation toured PUMCH’s clinical research platforms, including its research-oriented patient wards, biobank, and nuclear medicine and radiotherapy departments.

This academic exchange has laid the foundation for a strategic partnership among the three institutions, focusing on tackling pressing clinical challenges in diagnosing and treating rare and major diseases. The collaboration will foster key joint research projects and solidify the Advanced Rare Diseases Joint Research Center. Moving forward, the institutions will establish robust communication mechanisms, implement collaborative projects, and work together to advance early diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases, ultimately improving the lives of patients.