Keynote Speakers

Dr. Limin Chen, Professor

Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu China

Biography: Dr. Limin Chen, a professor with Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS)/Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) and also an affiliate scientist with the University of Toronto, Canada now is the director and chief scientific officer of the center for transfusion transmitted infectious diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion (IBT), CAMS/PUMC,Member of the American Association for Studies of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and Canadian Association for Studies of Liver (CASL). He got his MD, MSc in biochemistry and molecular biology in China, PhD in molecular genetics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Chen obtained his postdoctoral training both at Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co. Inc (West Point, PA, USA) and at the Harvard Medical School (MGH) . Currently Dr. Chen’s research focuses on the virus-host interaction of the transfusion-transmitted viruses, especially on emerging and er-emerging infectious pathogens. He pioneered the work on identification of the response signature to predict treatment response using HCV as an model and proposed a novel mechanism on how virus exploits host innate immune response to benefit its persistent infection and resistance to interferon-based therapy.

Topic: Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases and Blood Safety

Abstract: Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases may threaten blood safety. In the past decades, we have been experiencing many pandemics such as COVID-19, which brought huge medical and economical burden to the whole world. In this presentation, updates on the recent outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious pathogens and how to judge whether they will endanger blood safety will be discussed. In the meantime, how can we prepare the unexpected pandemics to ensure blood safety will also be presented.

Dr. Qingbin Zhao, Professor

Department of Geriatric Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

Biography: Dr. Qingbin Zhao serves as a professor in the Department of Geriatric Endocrinology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. She studied clinical medicine at Xi'an Medical University in China and obtained a bachelor's degree in 1996. Subsequently, she studied in the research group of Professor Ma Aiqun at Xi'an Jiaotong University and obtained her master's degree in 2002 and her doctorate in 2008. From 2017 to 2018, she went to the University of Maryland in the United States and conducted a two-year postdoctoral research under the guidance of Professor Da-Wei Gong, engaging in the development of drugs for cardiovascular diseases. She has published 20 articles in SCI journals.

Topic: Progress of Clinical Research on Diabetic Cardiovascular Diseases in Northwest China

Abstract: Over the past 40 years, with the development of China's economy and changes in lifestyle, such as reduced physical activity, excessive energy intake, and the prevalence of overweight or obesity, the prevalence of diabetes in China has risen from 0.67% in 1980 to 12.4% in 2018. However, the rate of reaching the blood glucose target among Chinese diabetic patients is only 49.4% (HbA1c<7%), and the burden of diabetes is constantly increasing especially the threat of cardiovascular complications of diabetes. In addition, other risk factors that cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are also prevalent in China, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, etc. In 2019, the Chinese government listed the prevention and control of diabetes as part of the "Healthy China" special campaign. Metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity have driven the high incidence of metabolic cardiovascular diseases in China, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases have become the leading cause of death among Chinese adults. Facing these challenges, early prevention and control of related risk factors may be an effective means to reduce the burden of metabolic cardiovascular diseases in China. Therefore, in recent years, our research team has carried out a series of clinical studies on diabetic cardiovascular diseases in the northwest region of China. In this speech, I will discuss a series of related clinical studies I have conducted in recent years, including the influencing factors of the occurrence, progression and prognosis of diabetes mellitus complicated with coronary heart disease, diabetic kidney disease, diabetic foot ulcers, and diabetes complicated with lower extremity arterial occlusive disease. Identifying these risk factors will help formulate precise prevention and control strategies, which may potentially prevent the occurrence and development of diabetic cardiovascular diseases in this region.