New Chapter in International Cooperation: Solid Steps Taken for High-Quality Development of Wuwei Heavy Ion Therapy Center

On July 13, the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital took a crucial step in advancing the "Global Alliance for High-Quality Development" strategy—the signing ceremony for a joint research project between the University of Sydney, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center was held at the center. Professor Jinman Kim from the University of Sydney, Dr. Wang Jiyyong, Master Wang Pengyu, along with relevant officials from Wuwei Cancer Hospital, attended the signing ceremony, marking the official launch of this cross-border scientific collaboration focused on artificial intelligence in biomedical imaging.

This collaboration pools top-tier global research and clinical resources: The University of Sydney, Australia’s leading academic institution, boasts the Biomedical Data Analytics and Visualization Lab (BDAV Lab), which excels in AI-driven biomedical image analysis. The lab has pioneered groundbreaking innovations including WiFi wireless technology, the open-source Spring framework, and the world’s first prenatal ultrasound scanner, demonstrating profound expertise in technology transfer and innovation. Meanwhile, Shanghai Jiao Tong University—a prestigious "Double First-Class" university in China—houses the Translational Multimodal Imaging Lab (TMIL), which focuses on AI-driven translational medicine research and remains at the forefront of interdisciplinary technological applications.

As the world's only institution operating two heavy ion therapy systems and China's first to utilize domestically developed heavy ion therapy equipment, the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center has treated 2,062 patients (from all Chinese provinces as well as countries including Belgium, South Korea, Australia, and Thailand) for over 50 types of cancers—including lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and glioblastoma—since its clinical operation began in 2020. The center has accumulated extensive clinical data and practical experience, with its innovative "imaging technology + heavy ion therapy" integrated model attracting significant attention across the medical field.

This joint research project focuses on the field of "Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Biomedical Imaging," with the three parties centering their efforts on this domain to tackle three key directions: First, optimizing the intelligent formulation of heavy ion therapy plans and improving the precision of therapeutic efficacy evaluation; Second, developing multimodal biomedical imaging analysis technologies to enhance the efficiency of tumor diagnosis and treatment monitoring; Third, creating clinically applicable AI tools to accelerate the translation of research achievements into practical applications.

At the signing symposium, Professor Jinman Kim delivered a keynote lecture titled "Multi-modal Learning for Biomedical Image Analysis and Visualisation", systematically presenting the cutting-edge applications of deep learning in tumor image recognition, feature extraction, and visual analysis. He remarked, "The clinical resources of Wuwei Heavy Ion Center and the technological expertise of the University of Sydney are highly complementary. This collaboration will establish a replicable innovation model for precision oncology worldwide."

Prior to the signing ceremony, Professor Jinman Kim and his delegation conducted an in-depth inspection of the core clinical area at Wuwei Heavy Ion Center. They observed the real-time operation of the heavy ion therapy image-guided system and the clinical workflow of PET-CT imaging, engaging in detailed discussions on critical issues such as standardized acquisition protocols for tumor metabolic imaging data and multimodal image fusion techniques. They spoke highly of the center's innovative practice in deeply integrating advanced imaging technologies with heavy ion therapy.

The establishment of this international research alliance marks not only a significant breakthrough for Wuwei Heavy Ion Center in advancing its "Global Alliance" high-quality development strategy, but also a vivid demonstration of the deep integration between world-class academic expertise and clinical resources. The three parties will leverage technological synergy to solve treatment challenges, harness scientific innovation to drive clinical progress, and inject new momentum into the intelligent and precision development of heavy ion therapy.