From 8 to 12 December, Dr Qihe Xu undertook a productive series of academic engagements in Shanghai. His itinerary included visits and exchanges with Zhongshan Hospital and Huashan Hospital of Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM), and the editorial office of the journal Chinese Medicine and Culture. He also delivered a keynote speech at the Seminar on the Future of Integrative Medicine.
Prologue – Meetings with Experts in Nephrology and International TCM Exchange
On the evening of 8 December, upon arriving in Shanghai, Dr Xu was invited to dinner by Professor Ding Xiaoqiang, Director of the Nephrology Department at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, and President-Elect of the Chinese Society of Nephrology. The dinner provided an excellent opportunity for Dr Xu to engage with Professor Ding’s clinical and research team of integrative nephrology.
On the morning of 9 December, at the invitation of Professor Han Chouping, Dean of the International Education College at SHUTCM, Dr Xu visited the university’s International Exchange Centre for Chinese Medicine and joined Dean Han for lunch.
Visit to Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital
In the afternoon of 9 December, at the invitation of Professor Wang Bing, Director of the TCM Department and Integrative Medicine Department at Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Dr Xu visited the hospital for academic discussions. The session was chaired by Dr Xu Jun, with a welcome address and hospital overview delivered by Vice President Zhou Xiaohui. Director Gu Wenjun then shared the hospital’s successful experiences in industry-academia-research collaboration and translational outcomes.
Director Wang Bing detailed the practical achievements and talent cultivation resulting from the interdisciplinary development between the TCM Department and other clinical disciplines. He outlined the department’s structure and accomplishments in teaching and research, emphasising the progress in joint diagnosis, treatment, and research in integrative medicine for conditions such as encephalopathy, metabolic diseases, and kidney diseases. Director Wang also shared initiatives for cultivating academic leaders and fostering talent echelons, alongside international exchange programmes. He stressed the ongoing commitment to ‘integrating focal points with broader development, deepening substance, and expanding efficacy’. This is being achieved through joint ward rounds, establishing specialised outpatient clinics and shared research platforms, nurturing innovative talents, and enhancing the competitiveness and social impact of the integrative medicine discipline to propel coordinated development in clinical practice and research.
On behalf of the King’s College London (KCL) Centre for Integrative Chinese Medicine, Dr Xu delivered a presentation titled ‘Integrating Wisdom, Catalysing Innovation: Development and Vision of the King’s Centre for Integrative Chinese Medicine‘. He outlined the Centre’s philosophy: to integrate Eastern and Western wisdom, promote the standardisation and internationalisation of TCM research, and amplify TCM’s role in addressing global health challenges. Dr Xu reflected on the journey and prospects of integrative Chinese medicine at KCL, shared experiences from leading EU-funded projects on TCM modernisation, and introduced the extensive international collaboration network in TCM and integrative medicine that has been built over the past two decades. He detailed the Centre’s two key research areas (Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolic Health; Cancer, Healthy Longevity & Pharmaceutical Sciences) and its supporting infrastructure. With a vision to establish the Centre as a world-leading platform for integrative Chinese medicine by KCL’s bicentennial in 2029, Dr Xu warmly invited Chinese hospitals, scholars, and enterprises to explore collaborative opportunities.
Following the presentations, the group visited the hospital’s History Museum, Central Garden, and the National Orthopaedic Medical Centre, engaging in further discussions on international collaboration. This visit served as a reciprocal exchange following Professors Wang Bing and Xu Jun’s visit to London in August.
Cultural Exchange at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
On the afternoon of 10 December, at the invitation of Professor Li Haiying – Director of the Joint Editorial Department of Chinese Medicine and Culture (Chinese edition) and its English edition, and Executive Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese edition – Dr Xu presented a lecture entitled ‘Integrative Chinese Medicine: Why? What? How?‘ at the SHUTCM International Exchange Centre. The event featured a thematic discussion with experts and scholars from Shanghai and an interactive session with the audience. In the evening, Prof Li Haiying, together with Prof Ge Guangbo, Executive Vice Dean of the SHUTCM Interdisciplinary Science Research Institute, Prof Zhong Yifei, Director of the Nephrology Department at Longhua Hospital Affiliated to SHUTCM, and Prof Hu Jing, Director of the Nephrology Department at Shanghai Seventh People’s Hospital, hosted a dinner in Dr Xu’s honour. For further details, please refer to the report released by the Chinese Medicine and Culture editorial office. Video captures of Dr Xu’s speech can be accessed here:
- Part 1 (in Chinese)：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-hgQGAu5fYAcYlS0PWz1RA
- Part 2 (in Chinese)：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4dJWrXsr1rVzFRimAqXSwA
Visit to Huashan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College
On 11 December, at the invitation of Professor Zhu Ningwen from Huashan Hospital, Dr Xu spent a full day in academic exchange. He shared insights on innovating nephrology and pharmacology through the integration of Chinese and Western medical concepts. In turn, he was briefed on the latest advancements in stem cell research, trauma repair, and regeneration led by Professor Zhu. The discussions delved deeply into topics such as the role of retinoic acid in post-traumatic regeneration, repair and fibrosis.
Professor Zhu Ningwen is the initiator and leader of the ‘Chinese Skin Bank’ strategy and a nationally recognised top expert in skin stem cells, skin bioengineering, and skin repair/regeneration research. A veteran UK-trained scholar and a longstanding friend of Dr Xu, Professor Zhu formerly served as the 8th Chairman of the Chinese Life Scientists Society in the UK (with Dr Xu being the 13th). This ‘academic homecoming’ was rich in content and depth, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration.
Attending the Seminar on the Future of Integrative Medicine
On 12 December, at the invitation of Professor Ji Guang, President of SHUTCM, Dr Xu attended the Seminar on the Future of Integrative Medicine, held at the Fuyue Hotel in Shanghai’s Songjiang District. He delivered a keynote report titled ‘Elevating Integrative Medicine: A Guide to International Standards and Guidelines‘.
During the forum, Dr Xu met with over twenty Presidents and Vice-Presidents from TCM universities across China, as well as with old and new friends including Professor Guo Haidong, Executive Vice Dean of the SHUTCM Institute of Integrative Medicine, and the renowned integrative nephrologist Professor Zhang Mianzhi. The forum also witnessed the release of the inaugural Global Assessment Report on the Research and Development of Integrative Medicine. For a detailed conference report, please refer to the news release issued by SHUTCM.