Top research achievements (1956-2016)

Implementation of vaccines to control poliomyelitis CAMS and PUMC former president Gu Fangzhou developed China’s first polio vaccines, in particular the “Sugar Ball” attenuated oral vaccine, first created in 1959. Implementation of a countrywide immunization strategy eradicated the indigenous polio strain by 1994. Poliomyelitis has since been effectively controlled, with China being declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in October 2000. This was a significant achievement in global public health, possibly second only to the global eradication of smallpox. Recently, scientists at the Institute of Medical Biology have developed a series of polio vaccines for national immunization, including oral and injectable live poliomyelitis vaccines produced in both monkey and human cells. A significant milestone occurred when the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) approved the Sabin strains of inactivated polio vaccines for human immunization in 2015, providing further safeguards to keep China polio-free. Leprosy control and elimination in China In 1957, to deal with widespread leprosy in China, CAMS & PUMC set up the Institute of Dermatology, with the goal of controlling infection through active prevention and treatment. They successfully achieved the goal of largely eliminating leprosy in China by the end of the 20th century, while establishing nationwide networks for the detection and control of infectious sources and the early diagnosis of cases, and also studying the efficacy of multidrug therapies. The establishment of a national leprosy epidemic surveillance system has provided timely alerts of endemic trends and allowed effective evaluation of control efforts — efforts that will hopefully lead to the complete elimination of leprosy in China. Gynecologic malignancies and fertility-sparing treatments The department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at PUMC Hospital has a long history of excellence and innovation. In the 1950s, a team led by Hongzhao Song was among the first in the world to develop a breakthrough chemotherapy for metastatic choriocarcinoma, which achieved a 100 percent remission rate for malignant hydatidiform moles and a drop in the choriocarcinoma mortality rate from 90 percent to 20 percent. In the last 20 years, teams led by Jinghe Lang and Keng Shen developed a series of innovations in fertility-sparing treatments for gynecological malignancies. Their work resulted in the release of the first protocols for this field in China. Prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer Scientists at CAMS and PUMC uncovered the principle carcinogens (nitrosamine compounds) and lifestyle factors associated with esophageal cancer in the Linxian region of Henan Province, an area where this often-fatal cancer is endemic. Investigators developed innovative early diagnoses for the disease based on esophageal exfoliative cytology. Over the past 30 years, scientists at the Cancer Hospital have systematically investigated treating esophageal cancer, generating standardized treatment guidelines. The Cancer Hospital is designated as the National Cancer Center and provides comprehensive nationwide cancer surveillance and prevention, in addition to publishing an annual report on cancer statistics in China. Prevention and management of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases Since 1969, three generations of researchers at Fuwai Hospital have established China’s first chronic disease prevention network to screen highrisk individuals, perform research, and provid education in hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention and management. WHO promoted the use of this model worldwide in 1994. The researchers also conducted a great deal of pioneering work for the establishment of cardiovascular disease treatment procedures. They carried out the first Double Root Transposition case in world. These formed the procedures for treating cardiovascular diseases and improved their treatment techniques in China. Development of natural medicine by NBP NBP (dl-3-n-butylphthalide), China’s first anticerebral ischemia drug, was discovered and developed by the Institute of Materia Medica (IMM). NBP is used clinically for the treatment of mild to moderate acute ischemic stroke, and has also been widely used in patients with acute cerebral ischemia. It has annual sales in China of over RMB1 billion (US$150 million), holding a significant share of the domestic market for new drugs. IMM has also successfully developed bifendate and bicyclol for the treatment of liver diseases and successfully established several international new drug development programs through collaborations with industry, universities, and research institutes. Development of artificial musk approved by CFDA Musk is a precious Chinese medicinal material and is credited with effects such as inducing resuscitation, promoting blood circulation, detumescence, and pain relief. Male musk deer that are native to China are the only source for natural musk, but they are a protected species. Scientists at IMM successfully isolated the principle constituents of natural musk and demonstrated their pharmacological effects, elucidating the key molecules. They then successfully developed an artificial musk, which was approved by the CFDA as a Category I new drug. Artificial musk has filled a large gap in the production of traditional Chinese medicines, protecting more than 26 million musk deer from being hunted and benefiting more than 100 million patients annually. Control, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases by CAMS and PUMC PUMC Hospital reported the first AIDS case in 1985, and initiated the the first action in AIDS’s prevention and control in China. In the past 30 years, this project has integrated basic research and clinical tests and achieved a series of innovative results. A package of practical solutions to treat AIDS was developed. In the past few years, CAMS & PUMC organized the research team for the discovery, treatment and prevention of emerging and emergent pathogens. CAMS and PUMC set up the first resource database of epidemic animal model and developed the first EV71 virus inactivated vaccine in the world. The findings of the research reduced the incidence and mortality of hand-foot-andmouth disease caused by EV71 and brought with it good social benefits. Medical genetics in China Institute of Basic Medical Sciences of CAMS & PUMC worked together with many clinical hospitals, carrying out the studies into the cytogenetic and molecular basis of genetic diseases. In 1961, Wu Min, the founder of the study of medical genetics study in China, established the first cytogenetic research group in China and initiated the research into human cytogenetic and tumor cell genetics. After that, Luo Huiyuan, Wu Guanyun, Shen Yan, Zhang Xue, Zhan Qimin, He Jie, Wang Mingrong, Lin Dongxin, Gu Dongfeng and many other research groups made a series of research in the field. Their study has greatly promoted the research and development in the subject. Adult stem cells: Theoretical and technological innovation and clinical translation The Hematology Hospital of CAMS and PUMC is China’s largest national level scientific research institution for hematology medicine. It performed the first Chinese case of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and pioneered the treatment of lower extremity ischemic disease through autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The achievements upgraded the study of the hematopoietic stem cell. Its national initiative played a key ripple role in pushing forward the normalization, standardization and industrialization of stem cells in china.