The 21st Chinese Biophysics Congress opened on Aug 1 in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Themed "Biophysics and Human Health", the congress aimed to foster academic exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration and showcase cutting-edge achievements in the field of biophysics. 

Xu Tao, president of the BSC and chair of the congress, delivers opening remarks. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

Xu Tao, president of the Biophysical Society of China (BSC) and chair of the congress, opened the event by emphasizing its significance as a pivotal annual gathering for the biophysics community. He highlighted its core mission of deepening high-level scientific dialogue, promoting inclusive international cooperation and nurturing young talent. 

Xu expressed confidence that this year’s congress will inject momentum into scientific exchange and enhance public science outreach, further supporting the country’s pursuit of technological self-reliance and the development of new quality productive forces.

Zhang Hong, vice-president and secretary-general of the BSC, announces winners of the 2025 Shizhang Bei Award. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

During the opening ceremony, Zhang Hong, vice-president and secretary-general of the BSC, announced the winners of the 2025 Shizhang Bei Award. The International Award was presented to Noboru Mizushima, professor at the University of Tokyo. The Scientific Achievement Award went to Sui Senfang from Tsinghua University and Gao Fu from the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The Award for Young Biophysicists was granted to Ma Yuqian from the University of Science and Technology of China, Song Moshi from the CAS Institute of Zoology and Wu Jianping from Westlake University. 

Prominent scientists deliver plenary talks. [Photo/WeChat account: BSC] 

Following the opening ceremony, a series of plenary talks were delivered by prominent scientists. Noboru Mizushima, Xiao Ruiping from Peking University and Lin Shengcai from Xiamen University presented their latest research, sparking vibrant discussions and insightful exchanges with attendees. 

The congress features a robust academic program encompassing 37 specialized sessions covering a wide range of frontier topics, including structural biology, metabolic biology, cryo-electron microscopy and advanced metabolomics. It also encompassed oral presentations and poster exhibitions to broaden participation and promote academic dialogue. 

This year’s event reaffirmed the congress’ commitment to public science education through its signature cloud-based outreach. On July 31, a special science popularization event was launched, utilizing a range of new media platforms to inspire young people’s interest in scientific exploration. The livestream, lasting 4.1 hours, garnered a total of 406,000 views across platforms such as Bilibili, Zhihu, Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou and Douyin.