Genomics Medicine

Introduction

China, as a country with large population, possesses abundant and diverse human genome resources, which are valuable to researches in human evolution and disease-related genes. However, progress in the study of genomic medicine based on human genome resources in China is relatively lagging behind. Combining genomics and medicine, comprehensively performing in-depth genomic medicine research can effectively determine the pathogenic loci of various diseases, and thereby develop appropriate diagnosis and treatment strategies. The Genomic Medicine Center will impel the effective protection and rational utilization of Chinese genetic resources and build the first international high-level genomic medicine platform along the "Belt and Road". We aim at providing critical reference data for Asian especially the Chinese population and driving the researches of precise disease genome map and pathogenic mechanism. Meanwhile we will provide competitive talents and industrialization foundation for follow-up genetic diagnosis, biomedical research and precision medicine, and also promote China’s scientific research, technology transformation and public health, and avoid "stuck necks" in the field of medicine and health.

Core Team

Guan Minxin

Yang Xiaohang

Ma Jun

Xu Pengfei

Gu Ying

Han Peidong

Jiang Ming

Xu Zhihong

Mission

Research Fields

Overview

Genetics is a scientific discipline that investigates the inheritance and variation patterns of life's morphological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics, as well as the structure and function of genes and genomes. With a rich historical background, it stands as a crucial frontier in contemporary life sciences. The emergence of cutting-edge technologies like gene editing, three-dimensional genomics, bioinformatics, and high-resolution imaging offers new insights and opportunities to understand the fundamental nature of life and enhance human health from a genetic standpoint.

Genetics at Zhejiang University traces its origins to 1937, when Professor Tang Jiazhen, a foundational figure in modern Chinese genetics, initiated the teaching and research of genetics while serving as a biology professor. He nurtured a generation of renowned geneticists, including Xu Daojue, Shi Liuji, Sheng Zujia, and Liu Zudong, thereby making groundbreaking contributions to the field in China. In the 1950s, Professor Chen Shiyi, who served as both a professor and biology department chair, advanced the field by developing the yeast haploid cell mating method. His research revealed the crucial interactions between nuclear and extrachromosomal genes in expressing respiratory-deficient colony phenotypes, effectively establishing the foundations of yeast and mitochondrial genetics. Through the dedicated efforts of multiple generations, Zhejiang University's genetics program has achieved remarkable progress, producing distinguished academics like Academician Yang Huanming and Academician Xu Guoliang. Today, it stands as a key discipline in Zhejiang Province, recognized for its significant scientific contributions.

Research Field

Medical Genomics, Computational and Systems Biology, Mitochondrial Biomedicine, Reproductive and Genetic Developmental Biology, and Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.

Mission and Vision

To further advance the development and scientific research of genetics, and to help Zhejiang University's genetics program achieve new heights, the university established the Zhejiang University Institute of Genetics in 2010 with strong institutional support. This initiative brought together genetics-related faculty members and renowned international alumni, eventually evolving into the present-day Zhejiang University Center for Genetic Medicine. The center currently comprises 9 professors, 2 associate professors, 4 lecturers, and over a dozen collaborative professors from within the university. With the goal of becoming a world-class, open research center, the Genetics Medical Center is committed to conducting groundbreaking research in genetic foundations and applications. Embracing the mission of preserving and promoting Chinese genetics, the center is dedicated to educating and nurturing future life science professionals with robust scientific training and a global perspective.