Recently, 6 projects with ZCMU (including its affiliated hospitals) as the first and second completion unit won the 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award. Prof. Wen Chengping’s team from the School of Basic Medical Sciences was awarded the first prize; Prof. Zhang Guangji’s team from the School of Basic Medical Sciences, the second prize; Prof. Zhao Xiaoping’s team (as the second completion unit), the second prize; Prof. Zhou Yunxian’s team from the School of Nursing, Prof. Yao Xinmiao’s team from the Third School of Clinical Medicine and Prof. Ruan Shanming’s team from the First School of Clinical Medicine, third prize. In total, 306 projects won the 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award.

First Prize of 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award 

Prof. Wen Chengping’s Team

TCM Pathogenesis Evolution of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Sequential Therapy Application

After more than 20 years of research, Prof. Wen Chengping’s research team has achieved a series of breakthrough and innovative achievements on the foundation of the national scientific research projects in public interest, major science and technology projects in Zhejiang and projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China led by the team. According to the complex pathological changes of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), it has established the theory of TCM pathogenesis evolution of SLE, namely, under the background of congenital genetic susceptibility, the threshold of Toll-like receptor signal transduction and immune cells activation induced by sex hormone disorders decreases reduces; The combination of external pathogens such as virus infection and ultraviolet light and internal pathogens produces inflammatory factors such as IFN and autoantibodies by autoantigen accumulation and abnormal activation of immune cells through Toll-like receptors, which causes vasculitis and atherosclerosis, forms blood stasis and toxin, and later leads to kidney and other organ damage. A sequential treatment for SLE was formulated, and through a large-scale multicenter perspective cohort clinical study, its safety and significant clinical effect on SLE were confirmed, including a stable reduction of SLEDAI and improved quality of life. The team has clarified the pharmacodynamic substance basis of the treatment and systematically explained the mechanism. It was found that it could inhibit immune cell apoptosis and the formation of endogenous latent toxin by regulating the estrogen receptor-TLR signal, and reduce the pathological state of blood stasis and deficiency caused by latent toxin through immune inflammation reduction and coagulation improvement. The research results are at the forefront of similar research at home and abroad. The team has also led the formulation of three national industry guidelines, published a series of high-level papers, and obtained 6 invention patents. The results have been applied to SLE patients in hospitals across China and achieved social benefits. ZCMU and its three affiliated hospitals have participated in the project and are the joint winners of the award.

Second Prize of 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award

Prof. Zhang Guangji’s Team

"Zhejiang Chinese Materia Medica" Processing Industry Quality Improvement Demonstration

Based on the Level III Laboratory of Chinese Materia Medica Processing of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing Technology of ZCMU, Prof. Zhang Guangji’s team has carried out university-industry-research cooperation with ZCMU Chinese Medicine Decoction Pieces Co., Ltd targeting problems in Chinese materia medica source, processing, production and quality standards in the industry of decoction pieces in Zhejiang. It has conducted research for more than a decade from the perspectives of source base, processing standardization, production intelligence and standard systematization. With 21 kinds of medicinal materials of Zhejiang origin, such as Fritillaria thunbergii, as the object, the project explores the Chinese medicine processing characteristics in Zhejiang. The team has constructed an integrated research mode of "gathering-processing-production," and formed new integrated techniques of processing and producing. The connection between the morphological indexes, components and pharmacodynamic activities of medicinal materials and decoction pieces was also revealed, and a new dual quality evaluation model of "morphology-component-pharmacodynamic" was established. The team has also developed a new method for rapid quality detection of medicinal materials and decoction pieces by near-infrared spectrum detection technology, and innovated and integrated the intelligent control network and automatic intelligent production line of Chinese materia medica processing. The research results have been popularized in many decoction pieces and medicinal material processing enterprises, created social and economic benefits, and promoted the transformation, upgrading and high-quality development of the whole industrial chain of traditional Chinese medicinal materials and decoction pieces in Zhejiang.

Second Prize of 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award

(Second Completion Unit)

Prof. Zhao Xiaoping’s Team

Digital and Intelligent Technology and Application of Chinese Medicine Manufacturing with Integration of Polypharmacology and Lean Management

Prof. Zhao’s team has established cross-scale polypharmacology to reveal the scientific basis of the clinical advantages of TCM and the essential characteristics of high-quality medicine. The team has identified the correlation between the chemical composition and polypharmacological effects of Weifuchun, Angong Niuhuang pills and other Chinese patent medicines at microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic scales. Aimed at "zero defects" in high-quality medicine production, it has adopted Lean Six Sigma throughout Chinese medicine processing in five dimensions, including digital transparency, quantity and quality transmission, and intelligent discrimination, and reconstructed the human-computer hybrid process control mode into a digital, smart and empowering control system. Integrating digital technology, information technology, intelligent technology and advanced pharmaceutical technology, the team has independently developed core technologies such as cross-process collaborative analysis and multi-objective optimization of production quality and efficiency, which helps solve the core problems in the digital transformation and upgrading of traditional Chinese medicine production methods.

ThirdPrize of 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award

Prof.Zhou Yunxian’s Team

Disease Management System Construction and Application for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease from Perspective of Empowerment

Prof. Zhou’s team has focused on the management of inflammatory bowel disease for more than a decade. Concerned with the situation of patients with inflammatory bowel disease in multiple dimensions, the team has sinicized and developed three quality of life scales of inflammatory bowel disease, systematically combed the diagnosis and treatment status of inflammatory bowel disease in China, summarized diagnosis and treatment experience from difficult cases, clarified patient’s experience and psychological adjustment process, summarized and analyzed disease management problems, and developed tools like self-management software, diet diary and enteral nutrition devices to support patients’ self-management. It has also established a comprehensive and full-scale disease management system with public welfare foundations as the carrier. Guided by the conception of empowerment, the team, centering around patients, has united multiple parties, including medical workers, patients and the public, and effectively implemented collaborative disease management and improve patients’ quality of life through front-line medical training, construction of professional information platforms, and multi-form health education.

ThirdPrize of 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award

Prof.Yao Xinmiao’s Team

Theory Construction of "Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis Causing Flaccidity" and Clinical Application of Kidney Tonifying and Blood Circulation Promoting in Osteoporosis Treatment

As osteoporosis has increasingly become a major health problem in the aging society of China, Prof. Yao’s team, based on the theory of "kidney dominating bone" has researched for more than 20 years to trace the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. According to the relationship between deficiency and stasis, the team has advanced the theory of "deficiency causing stasis; deficiency and stasis causing flaccidity" based on the pathological characteristics of osteoporosis. On this foundation, Prof. Yao has proposed a comprehensive treatment of Chinese medicine featuring tonifying the kidney and promoting blood circulation, developed Yigu Decoction to treat osteoporosis, and new osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment approaches through a series of relevant basic experiments and clinical multicenter research. The team has also initiated a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis system, which has been promoted and demonstrated in nearly 30 medical institutions across China with economic and social benefits.

ThirdPrize of 2021 Zhejiang Provincial Science And Technology Award

Prof.Ruan Shanming’s Team

Zhejiang-School TCM Technique and Application of "Treatment Based On Pattern Differentiation" on Cancer Caused by Liver Qi Stagnation and Spleen Deficiency

Prof. Ruan’s team, with a focus on "Zhejiang-school TCM technique and application of ‘treatment based on pattern differentiation’ on cancer caused by liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency," has summarized the clinical experience, analysed data, studied action mechanisms and developed technical products. The team has constructed the theoretical basis of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency causing cancer, with a highlight of the characteristics of Zhejiang-school homotherapy-for-heteropathy. Based on the detoxification and tonification technique, the team has developed Jiedu Sangen Decoction and Yiyuan Decoction, and explored the molecular mechanism and action target in the carcinogenesis of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency. It has also screened the target of qi and yin deficiency caused by liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency in gastric cancer and explored the mechanism of liver soothing and spleen invigorating therapy for liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency in breast cancer. Fully tapping into TCM advantages with the integratation of traditional Zhejiang-school Chinese medicine resources, and modern science and technology, the project has inherited and innovated Wu’s technique of treatment based on pattern differentiation on malignant tumors and laid the foundation for wide clinical application, demonstrating the value of TCM in the field of tumor diagnosis and treatment.