We will leverage the role of major science and technology infrastructure to bring benefits to mankind

Outlook: What are some representative cases of major scientific and technological infrastructure benefiting mankind?

Zhao Hongwei: There are many such cases. For example, in 1975, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States took the lead in the study of heavy ion therapy for cancer with its existing scientific accelerator facility. In the 1990s, Germany and Japan successively carried out heavy ion therapy tumor technology and clinical research, and gradually promoted the application. At present, heavy ion therapy has become the forefront and hot spot in the field of global radiotherapy. There are more than 10 medical heavy ion accelerators in operation internationally, mainly in Asia and Europe. About 30,000 cancer patients have been treated globally.

Since 1993, the Institute of Modern Physics began the basic research of heavy ion treatment of cancer technology, and has realized the integration, demonstration and industrialization of ion beam irradiation of cells, animal experiments, core technology research, pre-clinical trials of cases, and special devices for treatment. In 2018, the Modern Physics Institute independently developed and put into production, and installed the first domestic heavy ion treatment tumor special device, making China the fourth country in the world to achieve heavy ion treatment tumor after Japan, Germany and the United States.

In October 2019, China's first carbon ion therapy system with independent intellectual property rights developed by Modern Physics Institute and its participating company Lanzhou Kejintaji New Technology Co., LTD., was approved for listing. This domestic carbon ion treatment system approved and registered by the State Drug Administration has broken through the patent barriers of foreign products, improved the cost performance, reduced the operation and maintenance costs, achieved the breakthrough of domestic heavy ion treatment equipment, and made China's high-end medical equipment localization take a new step.

At the same time, the industrialization and clinical application of the system will also drive the ion medical industry that integrates precision cancer treatment, high-end equipment manufacturing and operation and maintenance services, promote the technical level of upstream and downstream enterprises, achieve the transformation of low-end manufacturing to high-end manufacturing, and make the "national weight" benefit society. It can be said that major scientific and technological infrastructure has effectively served society and promoted economic and social development in terms of basic research and industrial application.

Efforts are still needed to build a global innovation plateau

Outlook: How to better promote the construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure?

Zhao Hongwei: It can attract enterprises to participate in the construction of major national scientific and technological infrastructure. For example, some enterprises in developed countries cooperate with national laboratories, and the ownership of large-scale equipment is controlled by the laboratory, and the enterprise has the right to use it. China can also learn from such practices to attract private enterprises to participate. The relevant departments can set up a part of the fund to support enterprises to purchase special instruments and equipment around the construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure and participate in the construction of facilities.

At the same time, the state can encourage local governments to invest in the construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure. In the construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure projects, fully demonstrated, clear goals, starting from the needs of the country. Take full account of team foundation and experience, emphasize advancement and necessity.

Outlook: To build a global innovation highland, what are the new challenges we face?

Zhao Hongwei: The competition between the world's scientific and technological powers is about the national strategic scientific and technological strength. To build a scientific and technological power and a global innovation highland is the direction and goal we have been working hard. In the construction of major scientific and technological infrastructure related to national strategic needs, basic scientific research and technological innovation, we must adhere to development with the resilience of "sharpening a sword in ten years".

At present, some technical indicators of China's major scientific and technological infrastructure are in the international leading position, some sub-systems, a certain direction or equipment performance are more leading, and relatively few are comprehensively leading and leading. For example, the sustainable development of nuclear energy and the mass production of medical isotopes still need to continue to promote. The transmutation of nuclear waste and the improvement of the utilization rate of uranium resources are important research directions for the sustainable development of advanced nuclear fission energy. These two issues are also difficult problems in the world at present, and major scientific and technological infrastructure needs to be built for exploration and research. In the medical isotope mass production technology for tumor diagnosis and treatment, the ion accelerator device can also play a key role to avoid the risk of "jamming", and China can plan the layout.