The “3rd Greater Bay Area Conference on Oncology Prevention and Treatment and Nanjing Medical University Forum on Personalized Oncology Medicine”, jointly organized by Nanjing Medical University (NMU) and the Guangdong Provincial Anticancer Association, was held from March 28 to March 30 at the Zhongwu Hotel in Changzhou, Jiangsu. The conference brought together leading experts, scholars, and industry representatives from both domestic and international oncology fields to engage in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics in cancer prevention and treatment. The event aimed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and the clinical application of innovations, contributing to the advancement of oncology prevention and treatment in China.
At the opening ceremony, Professor Lin Dongxin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chair of the Conference, extended a warm welcome to all participants and expressed his gratitude for their presence. He noted that cancer prevention and treatment were critical to public health and represented a major challenge faced by the global medical community. Holding the conference in Changzhou was of great significance, he stated, as it reflected the concrete implementation of the national strategies for integrated development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta. He encouraged attendees to seize this opportunity for in-depth academic exchange, to enhance the academic influence, and to foster collaboration and innovation in addressing the challenges of cancer prevention and treatment, ultimately contributing to health and well-being of the public.
In his address, Professor Hu Zhibin, Executive Chair of the Conference and NMU President, highlighted the shared mission of universities, clinical institutions, and industry in tackling the complex challenges of cancer prevention and treatment. As a university recognized under China’s “Double First-Class” initiative for building world-class universities and disciplines, NMU has actively aligned itself with the development strategies of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Yangtze River Delta. The university has pioneered new models of collaboration between universities and local regions in the “Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou-Taizhou-Huai’an-Lianyungang” area and has deepened its strategic partnership with Changzhou. NMU’s Changzhou campus is set to be completed and handed over in June this year. Professor Hu noted that the conference provided a valuable opportunity for the university to leverage its disciplinary strengths, enhance cooperation with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and support Changzhou in its efforts to build a regional hub for health innovation in the Yangtze River Delta.
The conference featured five specialized forums: Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Tumor Microenvironment, Tumor Microbiome, Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment, and the “Huaxia Elite” Forum. These forums provided comprehensive insights into cancer pathogenesis, precision diagnosis and treatment strategies, public health prevention, and the application of emerging technologies. More than 100 distinguished guests—including academicians, recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Changjiang Scholars, as well as renowned experts and industry representatives from both China and abroad, delivered keynote presentations at the forums. Their groundbreaking research played a pivotal role in advancing the field of oncology.
As a high-level academic platform for cancer prevention and treatment in China, this conference not only showcased the latest scientific achievements but also revitalized clinical practices and industrial development through in-depth interdisciplinary and cross-regional exchanges. Looking ahead, the outcomes of the conference are expected to be further translated into practical applications, benefiting a larger patient population and contributing to the realization of the goals of the “Healthy China 2030” initiative.
(Written by Zhu Shuqin; Photos by the Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; Reviewed by Lu Ming, Gao Wei, and Lu Jia; Translated by Zhang Bei)
