On April 8, Zhejiang University announced the launch of additional convergence research projects on four areas of focus, i.e. Smart Ocean, Precision Medicine, Hypergravity Field and New Matter Discovery and Fabrication. This is the third batch of projects released under the Innovation 2030 Research Framework of ZJU, a strategic movement to advance the construction of “Double First-Class” Initiative, which is also the second research projects (Brain Research and Artificial Intelligence, Precision Medicine Project) of Innovation 2030 lead by School of Medicine Scientists.
According to the University administration, Innovation 2030 is drafted to serve the strategic needs of China and address pressing world challenges. Drawing upon the broad research portfolio of ZJU, Innovation 2030 is committed to propelling the University’s research excellence to a new height, promoting cross-disciplinary innovation and creating an innovation ecosystem that stimulates the interplay among disciplines, talents and research.
Precision Medicine Convergence Research Project
（Precision Medicine Project）
Represented by the fusion of life science and information science, the technology convergence offers new solutions to human health problems. The exploitation of more advanced methods for accurate diagnosis and treatment of diseases will inevitably push forward a transformation of the paradigm. Driven by specific clinical needs, Precision Medicine aims for the high-resolution differential analysis on patients’ genomes and personalized disease phenome, by applying systems biology, multi-omics and intelligent analysis of big data. A brand-new chapter of disease diagnosis and treatment as well as human health will thus begin in the near future.
Underpinned by the construction of ZJU Medical Center, the Precision Medicine Project will focus on the two thematic areas, multi-omics based molecular diagnosis and genotype of diseases, innovation and translation of precision diagnosis and treatment. Key precise diagnosis and prevention technologies will be explored for undiagnosed complex diseases and major chronic diseases. The Project aims to create a well-connected innovation ecosystem that facilitates fundamental discoveries in theory and makes major breakthroughs in clinical translation and applied research, thereby protecting the health and supporting the livelihood.
“The pursuit of precision is the strong demands of medical development as well as national health protection. Focusing on undiagnosed complex diseases, the Project will build up a clear technical route for accurate diagnosis and treatment and offer a theory basis for multi-level disease analysis, thereby encouraging breakthroughs in the research on the pathogenesis of major chronic diseases and the paradigm change of diagnosis and treatment. A series of original core technologies will be achieved, and the international multi-center clinical study will be promoted, which will serve as the source of knowledge and technology innovation in Precision Medicine, making important contributions to the better health of people in China and around the world.”
- Prof. LIU Zhihong, Chief Scientist of Precision Medicine Project and a member of CAE
In September 2018 Zhejiang University announced Innovation 2030 Research Framework, which is firmly rooted within core disciplines of the University. Since then, this research framework has set our ambition for Brain Research and Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing and Sensing, Conservation of Ecology and Environment, and Agricultural Breeding by Design. After more than one year of its release, the new mode of cross-disciplinary convergence has been actively explored, and cutting-edge innovations have begun to emerge from new frontiers of converged disciplines, which strongly support the achievement of institutional goals set for the Double First-Class Initiative.
