On the morning of 5th September, after half-year preparation, the launching ceremony of Guangdong & Guangzhou Clinical Research Network on Eye Diseases Causing Blindness was successfully held in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC). Guangdong Science and Technology Department and Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology fully supported this event. Hospital leaders and heads of Department of Ophthalmology at 24 member hospitals participated in this opening ceremony. Over 200 ophthalmic experts across the country were also present. Prof. Zhang Xiulan, head of Clinical Research Center, hosted this ceremony. Prof. Liu Yizhi, director of ZOC, Mr. Xia Qifeng, head of Office for Social Development and Rural Technology at Guangdong Science and Technology Department, and Ms. Liang Dan, vice dean of Science Research Institute at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), gave speeches in the ceremony.
Besides, the opening ceremony of the 2nd Class of Clinical Research on Ophthalmology and Translational Medicine was also held in the Center. Mr. Yu Minbin, vice director of SYSU, Ms. Xia Dan, secretary of Committee of the CPC at ZOC, and Mr. Zhang Qingjiong, vice director of ZOC, attended both the launching ceremony and opening ceremony. Many famous clinical experts in China were invited to give lectures in these ceremonies. We invited Prof. Yao Ke, chairman-elect of Chinese Society of Ophthalmology in Chinese Medical Association (CMA), member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, and director of the Ophthalmic Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University. We also invited Prof. G. Jorigt, the only Chinese editor of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM); Prof. Chen Minshan, head of Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery at SYSU Cancer Center; Researcher Gordon (Gang) Zong, a national leading figure in intellectual property and member of Thousand Talents Program in Shanghai; Prof. Zhao Mingwei, head of Department of Ophthalmology at Peking University People’s Hospital; Prof. Xu Ling, director of He’s Eye Hospital; Prof. Liu Xuyang, vice director of Shenzhen Eye Hospital; and Ms. Liang Dan, vice director of SYSU Science Research Institute.
It is reported that 20% of blind people worldwide are in mainland China. The figure of patients with visual disorders is expected to exceed 170 million. Eye diseases causing blindness will become a serious problem of medical care and public health. It is urgent to establish a high-level clinical research network for ophthalmology so as to lead and push forward the clinical ophthalmic research and improve preventative ophthalmology. A clinical research network on eye diseases causing blindness at municipal and provincial levels can enable related institutions and departments to conduct professional research in multiple areas, achieving a win-win result. We plan to build a mature and world-famous research network in next three to five years. Together, we will enter a new epoch of ophthalmic clinical research. As a leading figure of platform construction and promotion, ZOC will actively promote the ophthalmic clinical research and contribute to reducing the rate of people getting blind-causing eye diseases in Guangzhou and Guangdong.
The Class is also one of the measures to push forward network construction. On the basis of last year’s first Class of Clinical Research on Ophthalmology and Translational Medicine, the second Class attracted nearly 200 national experts and scholars from regions like Zhejiang, Shanghai, Guangxi, Guangdong, and received a positive response. Experts like Prof. Yao Ke, Prof. G. Jorigt, Prof. Chen Minshan, Researcher Gordon (Gang) Zong, Prof. Zhao Mingwei, Prof. Xu Ling, Prof. Liu Xuyang, Ms. Liang Dan, Prof. Liu Xing, Prof. Lin Xiaofeng, Prof. Zhang Xiulan and Ms. Tang Xilan were invited to make speeches. They shared views on current situations of clinical research at home and abroad, the future direction, challenges and methods of clinical research. They also communicated with each other on heated topics and advanced ideas of ophthalmic clinical research and translational medicine. Their speeches covered guidance to clinical research and case study of successful clinical research. Topics like patent transformation of clinical results, management of research in different departments and suggestions for contributing papers to research magazines were also discussed. In the future, the Class will promote the development of ophthalmology and translational medicine in China and improve clinical research skills of young doctors.
