On January 5, the “Decision on Shandong Science and Technology Awards of 2020 by the People’s Government of Shandong Province (LZF [2020] No. 18)” has been released officially. The research achievement of “The Construction and Application of the ‘Efficacy-Toxicity Integration” Evaluation System of Traditional Chinese Medicine” by the team of Professor Sun Rong from the Second Hospital of Shandong University won the first prize of Shandong Science and Technology Progress Award. The research achievement of “Validation, Promotion and Application of Community Screening Technology for High-risk Population of Breast Cancer” by the team of Professor Yu Zhigang and the research achievement of “Study on Chemical Preparation and Mechanism of Anti-prostate Cancer Natural Active Small Molecules” by the team of Professor Yuan Huiqing won the second prize of Shandong Science and Technology Progress Award respectively.
The project team of Professor Sun Rong closely focused on the technical bottlenecks restricting the development of traditional Chinese medicine and the industry, such as how to scientifically recognize its efficacy/toxicity characteristics and efficacy/toxicity network, clarify its efficacy/toxicity mechanism and the internal relationship of toxicity-efficacy-syndrome, and reasonably identify the basis of its efficacy/toxicity substances and efficacy/toxicity Q-markers. In view of the current status of imperfect efficacy and toxicity integrated analysis and evaluation technology, supported by the 973 Project, the National Project of Major New Drug Creation, etc., they took the lead in proposing that “the toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine is closely related to its efficacy and syndromes, and toxicity can be scientifically recognized, systematically evaluated, and reasonably applied in the context of efficacy and syndromes”, and “research methods and efficacy evaluation technologies of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology based on clinical biological alternative index sets” and the academic thinking of “reasonable identification and scientific control of Q-marker based on efficacy-toxicity correlation”, as well as the “effect-toxicity integration” research and related evaluation strategy through 13 years of research. They have constructed a evaluation technology system of action network prediction, efficacy-toxicity action characteristics, mechanism and target verification, material basis confirmation, and Q-marker research for traditional Chinese medicine based on efficacy-toxicity integration, and used the “efficacy-toxicity integration” evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine for the re-evaluation of Chinese patent medicines with accurate curative effects and ADR reports, the discovery and evaluation of innovative drugs, and the research of clinical rational use of drugs. This project has authorized 19 invention patents and 15 utility model patents, published 215 papers, and 4 books as the associate editor. After the technology application and promotion of more than 20 units inside and outside Shandong Province, this project has cultivated 6 Big Brand Traditional Chinese Medicine and obtained 2 clinical approval documents. The project team has a horizontal income of RMB 45.529 million Yuan in the past three years. Its new sales of related products by enterprises have reached RMB 2.482 billion Yuan, and new profits and taxes have reached RMB 301 million Yuan.
The award-winning project “Validation, Promotion and Application of Community Screening Technology for High-risk Population of Breast Cancer” by the team of Professor Yu Zhigang has been funded by Key Clinical Projects of Hospitals Directly Subordinate to (Directly Managed by) the former Ministry of Health, Special Scientific Research Projects on Clinical Medicine of Jiangsu Science and Technology Department and Key Projects of Shandong Natural Science Foundation. This project has been completed under the cooperation of the Second Hospital of Shandong University, University of Science and Technology Beijing and Ludong University. It is the first systematic research in China to explore the prevention model of breast cancer suitable for the characteristics of Chinese women. This project has clarified the screening indicators of the new breast cancer risk prediction model among Chinese women, further optimized the breast cancer risk assessment model established by the team in the early stage, and created the community screening technology for high-risk population of breast cancer suitable for Chinese women. It has established a standardized breast cancer high-risk population cohort of more than 2,000 people, and has developed an online prediction, evaluation and information tracking system of breast cancer risk. Based on the above work, it proposed the tiered prevention model of “Community Primary Screening - Accurate Re-screening - Individual Follow-up” for breast cancer risks in Chinese women, which provides an optimized strategy for the implementation of localized breast cancer prevention in China. Based on related research results, they have published 40 SCI papers, which has been cited for 499 times by others, and applied for 1 invention patent and 1 software copyright. The project has established the Demonstration Base for Screening, Promotion and Application of High-risk Populations in Taixing City, Jiangsu Province, and it has been promoted and applied in 5 domestic medical institutions including Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Zibo Central Hospital, Shandong Cancer Hospital, and People’s Hospital of Rizhao. The project has been promoted in a population of approximately 50,000 people and screened 2,000 cases in high-risk populations of breast cancer. It has achieved good social benefits and laid a solid foundation for further systematic research on risk intervention strategies for high-risk populations in the future.
Professor Yuan Huiqing’s team focuses its research on metastatic castration- resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). mCRPC is a malignant tumor in males with a high mortality rate. Docetaxel-based chemotherapy is the only treatment option that can moderately prolong its survival. However, about 50% of patients naturally tolerate docetaxel, which causes limited clinical treatment. After ten years of research, Professor Yuan Huiqing’s team has conducted high-throughput screening of natural small molecule compounds derived from plants such as moss and discovered a series of inflammatory microenvironments targeting prostate cancer, new natural small molecule compounds targeting lysosomal-mediated drug resistance and inducing non-apoptotic death of tumor cells. They have carried out chemical total synthesis, modification and derivative preparation of potential compounds with novel structures and clear activities, and conducted in-depth research on the structure-activity relationship, target of action, pharmacodynamics, and toxic and side effects of the compounds. This project takes advantage of inter-team cooperation to tackle technical problems, and makes good use of the advantages of interdisciplinary, uses natural product chemical biology, pharmacology, molecular biology and other methods to discover novel compounds with characteristic potential for anti-prostate cancer, and provide a solid experimental basis for the development of anti-tumor drugs. This project has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shandong Key R&D Programs and many other projects, with a total funding of more than RMB 4 million Yuan. It has published 34 SCI papers in classic journals in pharmacy and oncology, etc. The research results have obtained three national invention patent authorizations, which not only makes a breakthrough in academic theory, but also lays a good foundation for the discovery of new drugs with independent intellectual property rights.
Shandong Science and Technology Progress Award mainly rewards scientific and technological workers who have made great contributions to the implementation of technological research and development and application, social welfare, key project construction, and scientific management, etc. The three scientific research achievements of the Second Hospital of Shandong University have achieved great economic or social benefits, promoted technological progress in related industries, and made outstanding contributions to the scientific and technological undertakings, as well as the modernization construction of Shandong Province.