A lab worker is at work at the Mingyue Lake Laboratory in Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

Chongqing - On Jan. 14, the Chongqing Academy of Science and Technology for Development released its list of the city’s top 10 scientific breakthroughs of 2025, including the approval of China’s first CAR-T therapy for pediatric and adolescent leukemia.

Launched in 2023, Chongqing’s Top 10 scientific breakthroughs list has been released three times, spotlighting major advances and product launches in areas including gene and cell therapy, high-end chips and industrial AI models.

Chongqing Precision Biotech Co. has independently developed Puzolcabtagene Autoleucel Injection, a new drug for pediatric and adolescent acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which won market approval in November 2025.

The approval comes as imported drugs remain costly and chemo-radiotherapy has shown limited effectiveness. The therapy is China’s first approved CAR-T treatment for children and adolescents with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A team led by Academician Zhang Zemin at Chongqing Medical University pioneered the theory of cross-tissue cellular modules. The team successfully elucidated mechanisms of immunotherapy response and resistance in non-small cell lung cancer, identified five key immune microenvironment subtypes, and developed recurrence biomarkers with clinical diagnostic value. 

The findings were published in the leading journals Cell and Nature in March and May 2025, respectively. The work expanded the understanding of tumor biology and provided a theoretical basis for precision tumor immunotherapy.

A research team led by Zhou Changyong and Wang Xuefeng at the Citrus Research Institute of Southwest University, together with a Chinese Academy of Sciences research team, conducted systematic research to elucidate the pathogenesis of Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, and to develop prevention and control technologies. 

HLB, often called "citrus cancer," has spread to multiple countries and causes more than 10 billion U.S. dollars in losses each year. For the first time internationally, the teams identified two key resistance genes, MYC2 and PUB21DN, offering new targets for breeding HLB-resistant and tolerant citrus varieties.

A team led by Liu Changju at the 44th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corp. has developed China’s first fully homegrown ultra-high-speed image sensor. Now used in domestically made 7-nanometer semiconductor inspection equipment, it enables real-time, high-precision detection of nanoscale defects and contamination on wafer surfaces, filling a major domestic technology gap.

Another team from Chongqing Jiaotong University, led by Professor Zhou Jianting, pioneered a digital system for in-situ arch forming of long-span arch bridges. The system saves 30 percent of the pre-assembly site area, shortens high-altitude control time by 50 percent, and maintains closure accuracy within 2 millimeters for 500-meter-class arch bridges. 

CISDI Information Technology (Chongqing) Co. has independently developed the world’s first 100-million-parameter industrial vision large model covering the full steelmaking process, the CISIDigital AI “Jinjing” model. Designed for harsh conditions such as extreme heat and heavy water mist, it reduces repetitive frontline work while helping steelmakers cut costs and improve efficiency.

Universities, research institutes and tech firms nominated more than 100 advances. A panel of experts shortlisted 27, then top scientists, including academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, voted based on innovation, real-world application and overall impact to finalize Chongqing’s 2025 Top 10 list.