1. Review of Discipline History
The discipline of Pathology and Pathophysiology is an important component of the advantageous discipline of basic medicine in Jiangsu Province universities and key disciplines of Xuzhou Medical University. There are both doctoral and master's degree authorization programs and a postdoctoral mobile station in this discipline. There are research platforms such as Xuzhou Key Laboratory and Xuzhou Medical University Key Laboratory.
Upholding the school motto, "Carrying medicine with virtue, learning, and innovation", the discipline embraces the fine traditions of "hard work, continuous innovation, and the pursuit of excellence". The journey of the discipline began with the establishment of the Pathology Teaching and Research Group at Xuzhou Medical College in December 1959. Despite scarce resources and challenging conditions, the pioneers of the discipline embarked on a journey of exploration, driven by their unwavering enthusiasm and commitment to medical education and scientific research. In April 1960, the Pathology Teaching and Research Group was subdivided into the Pathological Anatomy and Pathophysiology Teaching and Research Groups, laying the foundation for the discipline's subsequent development.
In 2003, the establishment of the Master's degree program in Pathology and Pathophysiology marked a new phase in the discipline's growth. In 2009, the Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology was designated as a key laboratory of Xuzhou Medical University, and in 2010, it was recognized as a key laboratory by Xuzhou City, further expanding its influence. The discipline has since made significant contributions to the fields of tumor development and neuropathophysiology, producing high-quality research outcomes and training numerous outstanding graduate students. After decades of dedication, the discipline has grown from strength to strength, establishing itself as a key discipline at Xuzhou Medical University. It has achieved remarkable success in scientific research, teaching, and social service, significantly contributing to the advancement of medical science.
Looking ahead, the discipline will align with the evolving landscape of new medicine. It will seize the opportunity provided by the construction of superior disciplines and doctoral programs in Jiangsu Province, leveraging the strengths of basic medicine. By optimizing personnel structures and fostering an environment conducive to "talent aggregation, project aggregation, platform aggregation, and technology aggregation", the discipline aims to establish an efficient operational model. This will involve strong leadership, guidance from academic leaders, collaborative efforts from academic backbones, and comprehensive support from professional and technical personnel. The goal is to cultivate innovative medical talent with a strong foundation, excellent research capabilities, and practical application skills, contributing to the high-quality development of the university and the establishment of a high-level medical institution.
2. Main Research Direction of the Discipline
The discipline focuses on three key research areas for major human diseases: the pathological mechanisms; target discovery and potential drug development; clinical precision diagnosis and treatment. Addressing the complexity of diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders, the discipline leverages advanced modern medical technologies and the expanding field of medical big data. Through systematic and in-depth research, the discipline explores the causes, mechanisms, and progression of diseases, as well as the changes in the body’s morphological structure, functional metabolism, and pathological outcomes during disease development. Efforts are directed towards discovering new diagnostic markers and drug targets, developing multidimensional diagnostic systems, and creating targeted therapies. The goal is to provide innovative technologies and methodologies for early detection, accurate diagnosis, and targeted treatment of diseases.
3. Discipline Leader and Team Introduction
Introduction of Discipline Leader: Yuanjian Song, Professor, doctoral supervisor, Vice Dean of the School of Basic Medical Sciences and Director of the Engineering Research Center for Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Polygenic Diseases in Jiangsu Province, Visiting scholar, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Province "Six Major Talent Peaks" high-level talent training object, Jiangsu Province "333 High-Level Talent Cultivation Project", Jiangsu Province "Qinglan Project" young and middle-aged academic leaders, Standing member of cerebrovascular Prevention and Treatment Committee, Jiangsu Preventive Medical Association.
His redearch Focus on neurological diseases, explore the pathological mechanism of neurological damage, screen disease warning markers, discover new targets, and develop diagnostic methods and new drugs. He hosted over 4 projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 1 key research and development project of Jiangsu Province, and 6 other provincial and departmental level projects. As the corresponding author or first author, he has published more than 30 SCI-indexed papers in international academic journals such as Aging Cell, CNS Neurosci Ther, and Mol Neurobiol. He approved 3 national patents, 1 Xuzhou City science and technology progress award. He is chief reviewer of 1 textbook published by People's Medical Publishing House, deputy editor of 2 textbooks published by People's Medical Publishing House; Guided undergraduate students to obtain 2 approved projects of Jiangsu University Student Innovation Training Plan.
The discipline team comprises 33 members, including 6 professors/chief physicians, 12 associate professors, 2 doctoral supervisors, and 13 master's supervisors. Among the full-time faculty, 22 hold doctoral degrees, representing 73% of the team. Additionally, 11 faculty members have studied abroad, accounting for 36% of the team. Many faculty members have received prestigious recognitions, including being named "New Century Outstanding Talents" by the Ministry of Education, young and middle-aged experts with outstanding contributions in Jiangsu Province, "333 Project" young and middle-aged science and technology leaders in Jiangsu Province, leaders of scientific and technological innovation teams in Jiangsu Province, key medical talents under the Science and Education Strong Health Project in Jiangsu Province, "Qinglan Project" young and middle-aged academic leaders in Jiangsu Province, as well as recipients of the "Six Major Talent Peaks" program and the provincial "333 Project" talent development initiative. This has contributed to the formation of a high-quality, highly educated, and internationally engaged teaching team.
4. Scientific Research Status
In response to the complexity of major human diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders, and leveraging the increasing volume of medical big data, the discipline integrates various advanced technologies of modern medicine. It utilizes a comprehensive approach, combining artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, energetics, morphology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and structural biology to explore diseases at multiple levels—ranging from group and individual to system, organ, tissue, cell, molecule, and atom. This macro-to-micro approach allows for in-depth investigation of disease mechanisms, the discovery of new diagnostic markers, and the identification of potential drug targets. The discipline also focuses on developing multi-dimensional diagnostic systems and targeted therapies to provide innovative technologies and methods for disease early warning, accurate diagnosis, and targeted treatment.
The team has undertaken over 30 scientific research projects, including 20 national-level projects and more than 20 provincial and municipal projects. It has earned 5 provincial and ministerial science and technology achievement awards, 2 Xuzhou New Technology Introduction Awards, and guided students wining 6 Graduate Research Innovation Plans and 7 College Students' Research Innovation Plans. In recent years, over 100 SCI papers have been published in prestigious international journals such as Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, Molecular Cancer, and Blood, with more than 20 papers in the top-tier journals of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team has also been granted 6 national patents, some of which have been successfully commercialized. Furthermore, the discipline has received more than 10 scientific and technological achievement awards, including the Second Prize of Natural Science from the Ministry of Education, the Second Prize of Chinese Medical Science and Technology, the Third Prize of Jiangsu Province Science and Technology, and the Third Prize of Jiangsu Province Medical Science and Technology. The team has contributed to 2 edited monographs and 4 textbooks, and has been awarded 2 provincial teaching projects and 4 provincial teaching achievement awards.
5. Strength of the Disciplinary Research Platform
The Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology is a key laboratory of both Xuzhou Medical University and Xuzhou City. It is located on the third floor of Block A in the Science and Education Building of the main campus, covering an area of 1,000 square meters. The laboratory is equipped with over 4.5 million yuan worth of advanced instruments, including a flow cytometer, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR instrument, full-wavelength enzyme-labeled instrument, tissue chip instrument, automatic immunohistochemistry instrument, frozen microtome, fluorescence microscope, and other specialized equipment. Additionally, the university's large-scale instrument platform provides a solid foundation for the development of high-quality talent in this field.
6. Situation of Discipline Talent Cultivation
The discipline places great emphasis on the quality of talent development. 8 individuals have received the prestigious Excellent Doctoral and Master's Thesis Award in Jiangsu Province, and over 20 graduate students have been honored with the Jiangsu Graduate Innovation Project. The course "Progress and Technology in Pathology" offers essential theoretical and practical training to students majoring in basic medicine, clinical medicine, anesthesiology, pharmacology, public health, and related fields.
7. Disciplinary Social Services
The discipline encompasses several sub-specialties and specialized diagnostic projects, leading in molecular pathology detection, and playing a critical role in clinical treatment with a "precision key" approach. The discipline serves as the deputy chair of the Jiangsu Pathological Society, the leader of the Huaihai Economic Zone Pathology Group, and the chair of the Xuzhou Pathology Professional Committee, consistently guiding the development of pathology in the region. Pathological autopsy serves as a cornerstone in fulfilling social service functions, providing crucial evidence for legal cases, ensuring social fairness and justice, and promoting social harmony. It is an essential foundation for pathology teaching and scientific research. The quality of pathological anatomy reflects the expertise in the field and is pivotal in training young educators. The practical and specialized experimental teaching projects led by pathological autopsy bridge theory and practice, allowing students to develop their pathology knowledge system through hands-on experience, embarking on an enriching "journey of exploration."
8. Enrollment and Employment
Since 2003, more than 100 graduate students have been trained, with a 100% employment rate. Many graduates have been admitted to prestigious institutions such as Sungkyunkwan University, Nanjing University, and Capital Medical University to pursue doctoral degrees, while others have secured positions in prominent enterprises and institutions both domestically and internationally. The quality of education and employment outcomes has flourished. Our graduates embody the values of diligence, integrity, and excellence, as they embark on new journeys with a spirit of optimism, pursuing their dreams and achieving success in their respective fields.
