The 2025 Bacteriophage Conference of the Chinese Society of Biotechnology and the 8th China Bacteriophage Therapy Conference were held from August 19 to 23 at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. As one of China’s most influential annual academic events in phage research and clinical practice, the conference focused on advancing the development of a bacteriophage therapy system. It marked the launch of two national key research and development initiatives and facilitated comprehensive academic exchanges and talent development, injecting “Chinese momentum” into addressing the global public health challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Experts including Tian Jinqiang (Director of the Department of Life Sciences and Frontier Technology, China National Center for Biotechnology Development), Guo Xiaokui (Vice Dean of the School of Global Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical College), and Tong Yigang (Dean of the School of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology) attended the conference. Professor Zhu Tongyu (Vice Dean of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Director of the Fudan University Phage Research Institute, and academic leader in kidney transplantation at Zhongshan Hospital), Professor Yan Yaxian of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Professor Hu Bijie of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, served as co-chairs.
Tian Jinqiang, Director of the Department of Life Sciences and Frontier Technology at the China National Center for Biotechnology Development, delivered a keynote speech.
Guo Xiaokui, Vice Dean of the School of Global Health at Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical College, presided over the opening ceremony.
Tong Yigang, Dean of the School of Life Science and Technology at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, attended the conference.
Zhu Tongyu, Vice Dean of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, addressed the opening ceremony.
Currently, the global rise in antimicrobial-resistant infections is diminishing the efficacy of conventional antibiotics, while the threat of “superbugs” continues to intensify—not only increasing mortality risks associated with common illnesses such as pneumonia but also complicating medical procedures including surgery and chemotherapy due to heightened infection risks. Against this backdrop, bacteriophage therapy, designed to precisely target bacteria, has emerged as one of the most promising alternative antimicrobial approaches, garnering widespread research and clinical interest.
The convening of this conference served as a key action in implementing China’s national strategy to prevent and control microbial resistance. During the event, the 2025 National Key R&D Program “Frontier Biotechnology” Bacteriophage Special Projects were launched, comprising two major initiatives:
“Development of Safe and Efficient Engineered Bacteriophage Therapy Technologies and Clinical Research,” led by Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University.
Phage Key Project Research Team of the 2025 National Key R&D Program “Frontier Biotechnology”
Concurrently, the conference hosted the second Bacteriophage Therapy “Seed Camp,” which covered the entire workflow from fundamental phage theory, isolation and purification techniques, and quality testing methods to clinical application standards, regulatory policy analysis, and translational case studies. Through a combination of systematic training and practical implementation, the camp aims to cultivate emerging talent in the field and advance phage therapy from theoretical research to broader clinical applications.
Professor Zhu Tongyu emphasized that global phage research has entered a phase of accelerated breakthroughs, with technologies such as AI screening expanding treatment boundaries. China has made initial progress in areas including phage preparation development and personalized therapy, with regions like Shanghai establishing a collaborative framework integrating research, clinical practice, production, and regulation. He noted that this conference is expected to drive advancements in mechanistic studies and technical standards, helping to establish an integrated “Chinese pathway” from laboratory to clinic that will benefit patients with drug-resistant infections in China.
Since its inception in 2018, the China Bacteriophage Therapy Conference has been successfully held seven times, attracting nearly a thousand experts from countries including China, Belgium, the United States, and Georgia, along with nearly ten thousand participants. It has become a benchmark academic platform in the field of basic and clinical phage research in China.
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