Academicians, experts spur development of biomedicine sector

Fang Jingyun hosts the Yunnan Biology and Medicine Development Forum on April 19. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The Yunnan Biology and Medicine Development Forum was held at Yunnan University – located in Kunming, capital city of Southwest China's Yunnan province – on April 19.

Those attending included 18 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 37 experts and scholars from universities, hospitals, pharmaceuticals companies and research institutes.

Fang Jingyun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Yunnan University, presided over the event.

He talked about the progress made in Yunnan University's efforts to promote its development in biology and medicine, including the establishment of a life science research center, the institute of biomedicine and the biodiversity research institute.

The biomedicines industry is understood to be one of the emerging industries developing most rapidly in the world today. It is also an important industry related to the national economy and people's livelihoods.

Yunnan is the province with the most abundant biodiversity and ethnic medicine resources in China, boasting a clear resource advantage to expand its biomedicals sector.

At the forum, Gui Jianfang, Ma Dawei, Hao Xiaojiang and Li Jinsong – academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences – presented reports. They also exchanged details and data with teachers and students who asked questions.

In addition, keynote speeches on various topics were delivered by Tong Xin, R&D director of Walvax Biotechnology Co; Xu Sihu, vice president of BGI; as well as by Yunnan professors Luo Xiaodong and Chen Dahua.