Development trend of life science and biotechnology in China



Last year, China made breakthroughs in brain science, immunology, regenerative medicine, bioomics, synthetic biology, epigenetics, structural biology and other fields. This article introduces the important research progress in brain science, immunology, regenerative medicine and other fields.

Major research progress

1. Basic research in brain science and neuroscience continues to make breakthroughs, and brain-computer interface technology continues to advance

With the support of the policy, China has a certain foundation and strength in the field of brain science research. With the implementation of the major project of "Brain Science and brain-like Research", China continues to carry out the International Brain Initiative (IBI) research on the mesoscopic map of the non-human primate brain. Study cell types and their spatial distribution and connectivity throughout the brain in various non-human primates, especially macaques and marmosets, and map transcriptomes and connectomes at the single-cell level.

At present, China has made many breakthroughs in the basic research field of brain science and neuroscience. For example, the Center of Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed the storage mechanism of sequence memory in the brain, which can help the development of brain-like intelligence; The Center of Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Huazhong University of Science and Technology have also established the world's largest mouse whole brain mesoscopic neural connection atlas database, laying a structural foundation for in-depth research on the neural mechanisms of advanced cognitive functions.

Brain-computer interface technology is also one of the key areas in China. China has developed a series of new brain-computer interface products such as electrodes and chips, successfully realized implantable brain-computer interface surgery assisted by robot navigation system, and carried out clinical trials of implantable brain-computer interface. Among them, the Shanghai Institute of Microsystems and Information Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a heterogeneous, heterogeneous and degradable microneedle patch based on silk protein to form a non-cranioscopic minimally invasive implantable high-throughput flexible brain-computer interface system, which won the 2021 World Conference on Artificial Intelligence Excellence AI Leader Award.

2. Research and analysis of immunological mechanisms will help the development of vaccines and immunotherapies

In recent years, innovative achievements have been made in the field of basic immunology research, and the basic immunology theory has been continuously improved, which has promoted the application of immunology in the clinical treatment of infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, tumors and other diseases. In terms of new understanding of the immune system, research by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and others has provided important insights into the nature of immune red blood cells and their role in development and disease in the future. Jinan University et al. have mapped immune cells from neonatal to asthenic stage, and preliminarily revealed that the up-regulation of non-coding gene NEAT1 is closely related to immune cell aging.

In terms of the law and mechanism analysis of immune recognition, response and regulation, Zhejiang University et al. not only revealed in detail the specific mechanism of silencing information regulatory factor 1 (SIRT1) regulating antiviral innate immunity, but also provided new insights for the study of innate immune aging. The research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and others revealed A new mechanism of the immune defense response of Gasdermin A (GSDMA) protein as both a pathogen receptor and a host effector, and provided a new direction for the treatment of related diseases caused by Streptococcus pyogenes and other pathogenic bacteria.

In the field of vaccine and anti-infection application research, the computational model constructed by Peking University and other institutions has made a reasonable and accurate prediction of the future mutation and evolution direction of the virus, which provides an important theoretical reference for predicting the evolution of the virus and developing broad-spectrum vaccines and antibody drugs. The research of Jiangnan University and others provides theoretical support for the use of chiral nanomaterials in the field of immunology, and opens up a new direction for the research and development of protective vaccines and therapeutic vaccines.

In terms of tumor immunity research, Peking University and others have fully revealed the phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of tumor-associated neutrophils (TAN), providing an important theoretical basis for basic research and immunotherapy development of liver cancer. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Military Medical University and other institutions have discovered memory CD8+ T cells TdLN-TTSM with specific recognition of tumor antigens in tumor drainage lymph nodes, and revealed their key role in the treatment of PD1 immune checkpoint, providing a new research perspective for improving the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy.

3. The basic research and mechanism analysis of stem cells have been deepened continuously, and they have taken the lead in some fields of organoids

China continues to deepen the field of basic stem cell research, breakthrough achievements are rapidly produced, and the research level has always ranked among the international leaders. At the same time, the pace of research in the field of organoids has been accelerating, and it has occupied the development opportunity in emerging directions such as organoid chips. In 2022, China has made a series of progress in the basic research of stem cells, including further optimization of haploid embryonic stem cell technology and chemical reprogramming technology, revealing a variety of new mechanisms for the maintenance and differentiation of different stem cells, and on this basis, realizing the differentiation of stem cells into a variety of cell types, especially the transformation of early embryonic-like cells. It also laid the foundation for the study of early human development.

At the same time, the transformation process of stem cell therapy in China is gradually accelerating. By 2022, the number of stem cell clinical trials filed in China has exceeded 100, and nearly 140 stem cell clinical research filing institutions have been approved. Through the Drug Evaluation Center (CDE) of the State Drug Administration, 21 new applications for clinical trials of stem cell-related drugs will also be accepted in 2022.

In addition, China has further made a number of breakthroughs in the clinical application of stem cell therapy research, opening up a new road for the treatment of a variety of diseases. The development speed of the field of organoids in China has been accelerating, and breakthroughs have been made in the construction of normal physiological and pathological organoids such as islets, spinal cord, and lung cancer in 2022, especially in the emerging direction of organoid chips, and China's research process has been in the forefront of the world.

This article is excerpted from the "2023 China Life Science and Biotechnology Development Report" (compiled by the Department of Social Development Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, China Biotechnology Development Center). Beijing: Science Press, 2023.10) The book "Chapter I General Introduction", with deletion and modification.

The "2023 China Life Science and Biotechnology Development Report" summarizes the basic situation of China's life science research, biotechnology and biological industry development in 2022. The research progress in the fields of bioomics and cell atlas, brain science and neuroscience, synthetic biology, epigenetics, structural biology, immunology, stem cells, emerging frontiers and cross-cutting technologies in China were highlighted. As well as the annual progress, major achievements and significance of medical biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, environmental biotechnology and biosafety.

This book makes a forward-looking analysis of the hot areas of China's biological industry, and analyzes the development trend of investment and financing from both international and domestic levels to reflect the financial support of science and technology plans in the field of biotechnology, the situation of venture capital and listing financing in the field of biotechnology, the hot direction of investment and financing, and the market performance and development trend of the biological industry.