The 20th Chinese Biophysics Congress opened on July 21 in Changsha, Hunan province. With the theme of “Biophysics and Human Health”, the congress included 36 academic topics, including structural biology, cryo-EM and metabolic biology. The event aimed to create a platform for academic exchanges, mutual learning, research achievement presentation and mutual collaboration among scholars from home and abroad.

Zhang Hong, vice-president and secretary-general of the BSC, also a researcher at the CAS Institute of Biophysics, presides over the opening ceremony. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC]

The opening ceremony was presided over by Zhang Hong, vice-president and secretary-general of the Biophysical Society of China (BSC), also a researcher at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Esteemed guests and scientists gathered to celebrate the significant strides made in the field of biophysics in recent years.

Rao Zihe, honorary president of the BSC and president of the Tianjin Association for Science and Technology, delivers an opening speech. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC]

In his opening speech, Rao Zihe, honorary president of the BSC and president of the Tianjin Association for Science and Technology, commended the society's efforts in uniting scientists and providing services to scientific talents. He encouraged young researchers to continue exploring the unknown and contribute to the advancement of science and technology in China.

Xu Tao, chair of the congress, BSC president and director of Bioland Laboratory, delivers an opening speech. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC]

Addressing the attendees, Xu Tao, chair of the congress, BSC president and director of Bioland Laboratory, emphasized the congress's role as an annual gathering for biophysical scientists to deepen high-level academic exchanges, promote international scientific interactions, and support young talents.

Xu Ruiming, vice-president of the BSC and director of the CAS Institute of Biophysics, speaks at the opening ceremony. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

The Institute of Biophysics will strengthen its multidisciplinary collaboration with the BSC and introduce more innovative measures that serve scientists and benefit the public, said Xu Ruiming, the institute’s director and vice-president of the BSC.

The ceremony also announced the recipients of the 2023 Shizhang Bei Awards. Dinshaw J. Patel from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center received the Shizhang Bei International Award, while Cheng Heping from Peking University pocketed the prestigious Shizhang Bei Outstanding Contribution Award. Liu Junjie from Tsinghua University and Zhu Hongying from the University of Science and Technology of China were both honored with the Shizhang Bei Award for Young Biophysicists.

This year’s congress featured 36 academic sessions with speakers who are prominent in their respective fields. To encourage academic exchanges and provide more opportunities for scholars to interact, the event also held oral presentations and selected outstanding posters, drawing the participation of numerous researchers.

The congress reintroduced its signature forum activities, including the Women in Science Forum, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, and the Fourth Journal Forum, providing a multidimensional experience for attending experts and young scholars and enabling further academic exchanges, industry-academia-research integration and journal services.

Moreover, the congress focused on science popularization through online platforms, effectively imparting life science knowledge and inspiring the youth to engage in scientific learning.

The first day's science popularization event, held on July 19, was livestreamed by 12 media outlets and across multiple platforms, garnering a cumulative viewership of 584,000 in four hours.