Good news! ISM has won two First Prize of Zhejiang Provincial Science and Technology Award
On February 9, Zhejiang Province announced the 2024 Science and Technology Awards. Professor Ying Songmin and Professor Lou Min, from International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, each received a First Prize—the former in the Natural Science Award category and the latter in the Science and Technology Progress Award category—as the first completers of their respective projects.
Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Award (First Prize)
Title: Aging Inflammatory Mechanisms and Targeted Intervention in Chronic Airway Diseases
Lead Principal Investigator: Ying Songmin
Summary:
This study addresses the clinical challenge of the mechanistic interplay between aging and inflammation in chronic airway diseases (e.g., asthma and COPD). The research team conducted a systematic investigation ranging from fundamental mechanism elucidation to translational applications. The team systematically uncovered key molecular mechanisms underlying aging, identifying genomic damage hotspots as core drivers of cellular senescence. It further delineated the regulatory network by which aging and chronic inflammation mutually exacerbate each other. Moreover, the team developed innovative targeted intervention strategies to eliminate senescent cells, offering novel therapeutic hope—particularly for refractory, hormone-insensitive patients. This work holds substantial scientific value and significant potential for clinical translation.
Zhejiang Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (First Prize)
Title: Key Technological Innovations and Applications of Thrombolysis Beyond the Time Window and Precision Diagnosis in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Lead Principal Investigator: Lou Min
Summary:
Statistics indicate that approximately 2.1 million people die from stroke annually in China. Professor Lou Min’s team focused on three major bottlenecks in acute ischemic stroke management: the narrow therapeutic window for thrombolysis, the occurrence of futile recanalization, and significant disparities in thrombolytic outcomes between anterior and posterior circulation strokes. After over a decade of research, the team proposed a novel diagnostic model combining arterial and venous assessment of the tissue window and developed a thrombolytic protocol extending the window to 4.5–24 hours. The team established imaging diagnostic criteria for reperfusion injury and validated the efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis combined with neuroprotective therapy. It also introduced a thrombus extension early warning technology and created a dual-channel antithrombotic regimen for progressive stroke. These findings have been published in leading international clinical journals, including NEJM, JAMA, and JAMA Neurology, comprising 76 papers. The work fills a critical gap in thrombolysis beyond the conventional time window, exerts profound influence on global clinical practice, and holds promise for guideline updates. The relevant technologies have been implemented in over 200 stroke centers nationwide, directly benefiting 50,000 stroke patients annually within the province. Provincial quality control data indicate a 15% annual increase in thrombolysis volume and a 29% relative reduction in inpatient severe disability and mortality rates.
