Yao Qing, deputy secretary-general of Wuhan municipal government, and Tang Chao, deputy director of the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) administrative committee, on Aug 22 visited the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences in Lanzhou to discuss further cooperation.
During their visit, Yao and Tang toured the National Laboratory of Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou and observed a model of a medical heavy ion accelerator.
Tang highly praised the institute's significant contributions to the development, application, and industrialization of medical heavy ion accelerators. He expressed hope for further collaboration to promote the application of heavy ion cancer treatment technology and the growth of scientific and technological achievements, thereby advancing the health industry in WEDZ.
IMP representatives emphasized their commitment to developing affordable ion therapy devices, aiming to extend the health benefits of high-tech advancements and new productivity to more patients.
Since its establishment in 1957, IMP has achieved major foundational research breakthroughs, including synthesizing new nuclides. It has also made significant technological advancements in superconducting ion sources and accelerator-driven nuclear energy, leading to the domestic production of large-scale medical equipment for heavy ion cancer treatment.
Construction began in 2020 on the heavy ion medical center project, funded by Wuhan University in WEDZ. It will be the only heavy ion hospital in Central China and the fourth in the country.
WEDZ will also collaborate with Wuhan University to focus on heavy ion medicine research and the industrialization of new heavy ion devices and smart medical equipment. The goal is to establish a first-class talent training and innovation base for biomedical engineering.
