Chongqing - On March 4, the Chongqing delegation submitted a suggestion at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, calling for national support to accelerate the Chengdu-Chongqing region’s development into a leading science and technology innovation hub. 

Sichuan and Chongqing are developing China's western biomedicine innovation corridor, Xu Chuan, Professor at Jinfeng Laboratory and Director of the Oncology Research Institute at the Affiliated Hospital of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, told Bridging News on March 4. By 2025, over 100 joint projects will be in progress, creating a fast-track pathway from lab to bedside.

Xu Chuan, Professor at Jinfeng Laboratory, Director of the Oncology Research Institute at the Affiliated Hospital of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. (Graphics/Li Jiao)

Jinfeng Laboratory is the largest standalone life sciences and health research center in western China. It is dedicated to pioneering next-generation diagnostics for major diseases. 

The Pathology Testing and Diagnosis Sichuan-Chongqing Joint Key Laboratory, based at Jinfeng Laboratory, was established in November 2024 through a joint effort by Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Southwest Hospital of AMU, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, and Jinfeng Laboratory. Led by Professors Bian Xiuwu and Yang Zhenglin, the only Chinese Academy of Sciences academicians in pathology and clinical testing, the lab unites over 300 experts in the field.

AI advances early lung cancer detection and pathology 

AI is increasingly used in medical research and pathology. Professor Xu noted that the laboratory has advanced AI integration, improving early lung cancer detection and precise classification.

The lab's AI algorithms detect tumor mutations at single-base resolution, identify early genetic variations, and analyze the tumor microenvironment with spatial multi-omics data, enhancing diagnostic accuracy.

Its first medical device, the Fluorescent Brightfield Multifunctional Digital Slide Scanning System, is now listed in Chongqing's Intelligent Medical Equipment Innovation Product Directory. 

In AI-assisted pathology image analysis, the laboratory uses an experimental animal pathology AI system to automatically identify tumor areas in lung cancer tissue slides, reducing human error and improving diagnostic efficiency by over 50%.  

Projects to speed lab-to-clinic shift in Sichuan-Chongqing 

Professor Xu emphasized that the unique advantage of the Sichuan-Chongqing collaboration lies in its “1+1>2” synergistic effect. 

He said Jinfeng Laboratory has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Sichuan Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory. The two sides will collaborate on next-generation diagnostics for major diseases, share multimodal data resources—including pathology, imaging, and genomics—and jointly advocate for the establishment of a national laboratory.  

Over 100 collaborative projects between the two regions are expected to be completed by 2025, establishing a rapid transformation pathway from laboratories to clinical applications.  

The Pathology Testing and Diagnosis Sichuan-Chongqing Joint Key Laboratory at Jinfeng Laboratory. (Photo/Jinfeng Laboratory)

In cross-regional scientific research and resource sharing, Jinfeng Laboratory has partnered with multiple international and domestic research institutions and clinical hospitals on cancer research, targeted drug development, and more. Clinical trials are being conducted in hospitals across both cities.  

Professor Xu also highlighted that products developed by the laboratory, such as AI pathology diagnostic systems and digital slide scanning devices, have already entered the market. Future collaborations with companies like Shudao Investment Group Co., Ltd. and BGI will drive the expansion of smart medical equipment and the biomedicine industry in the Chengdu-Chongqing region.