From January 28 to 29, 2026, the School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering held a symposium on disciplinary development for its mid-career and young faculty. Senior faculty members, along with mid-career and young faculty, engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on teaching and student cultivation, research and social service, as well as the five-year strategic plan.
On the morning of January 28, Professor Tu Jing, Dean of the School, presided over the opening ceremony. He reviewed the School’s recent achievements in disciplinary construction, research innovation, and talent cultivation, and analyzed the current development trends in biomedical engineering as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the School. He emphasized that mid-career and young faculty are the backbone and future hope of the School, and that this symposium was designed to build a platform for exchange and to forge a shared vision. He encouraged all attending faculty to speak freely and engage in thorough discussion, contributing their insights to the School’s leapfrog development over the next five years.
Key mid-career and young faculty members delivered insightful presentations on their research directions and team-building experiences. Their presentations covered cutting-edge explorations at the intersection of brain science and medical imaging, including the application of deep learning–based neuroimaging analysis for early diagnosis of brain disorders, as well as the critical role of multimodal data integration and clinical validation. They discussed advances in the design of smart responsive nanomaterials, mechanisms of targeted drug delivery, and pathways to clinical translation, thereby refining the complete innovation chain from fundamental to applied research. Other highlights included breakthroughs in spatially resolved transcriptomics through a self-developed high-throughput platform, and innovative applications of AI-assisted real-time image navigation systems in minimally invasive surgery to address real clinical problems through deep integration of engineering and medicine. The presentations were strategically insightful and practically grounded, sparking lively discussions.
The agenda on January 29 focused on the development of young faculty. Nearly forty young faculty members spoke in turn, expressing their original aspirations and enthusiasm for research and teaching, while also candidly raising practical needs in areas such as grant applications, access to laboratory facilities, balancing teaching and research, and career planning. Senior faculty provided targeted feedback and valuable advice, leading to frequent interactions and a vibrant atmosphere.
Professor Zhang Yu, Party Secretary of the School, delivered the closing remarks. He fully recognized the success of the symposium, noting that it was well-organized, rich in content, and highly interactive, thus meeting its intended goals. Secretary Zhang stated that the School would carefully study the opinions and suggestions put forward by the faculty, further optimize the support system for the professional growth of mid-career and young faculty, and intensify efforts in resource allocation, platform development, mentorship, and training opportunities. He encouraged all mid-career and young faculty to remain committed to the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing talent, to integrate their personal growth into the broader development of the School and the discipline, to maintain academic curiosity and a spirit of perseverance, and to emphasize teamwork and intergenerational collaboration. He expressed his hope that the symposium would serve as a new starting point, uniting the entire School to jointly write a new chapter in the disciplinary development of the School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering.
The two-day symposium was well-paced, practical, and efficient. It not only provided a platform for mid-career and young faculty to present and learn from each other, but also strengthened academic ties and collegiality within the School, laying a solid foundation for the next phase of high-quality development. (Reviewed by the School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering)
