On September 22, the 2026 Asia‑Pacific Summit of the International MPS Society and the 9th Academic Conference on Organoids and Organs‑on‑a‑Chip, hosted by Southeast University, opened in Nanjing. Under the theme of “MPS World, AI Future”, the conference brings together global top experts in micro‑physiological systems (MPS) to discuss cutting‑edge technologies, standard‑setting and regulatory science, so as to advance well‑regulated development and innovative applications in this field. Sun Youhong, President of Southeast University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Cheng Heping and Teng Gaojun, both Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Tian Feng, Member of the Party Leadership Group of Jiangsu Provincial Administration for Market Regulation and Director of Jiangsu Provincial Medical Products Administration; Jiang Min, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Nanjing Municipal Committee, Secretary of the Working Committee of Jiangbei New Area, Secretary of the CPC Pukou District Committee, were invited to attend and deliver speeches at the opening ceremony.
This marks the first time for the iMPSS conference series to be held outside Europe and North America and hosted in the Asia‑Pacific region. It has attracted more than 100 world‑class institutions and over 300 industry experts, including over 40 top research institutes, more than 10 Grade‑A Tertiary Hospitals, over 50 leading enterprises and more than 10 authoritative regulatory and testing bodies. The current, incoming and past presidents of iMPSS all attended the event. Nearly 1,000 participants took part in the conference, including university, research institute and enterprise representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia and other countries and regions, as well as domestic experts, scholars and entrepreneurs in the fields of organoids and organs‑on‑a‑chip.
In his address, Sun Youhong extended a welcome to all experts and scholars on behalf of Southeast University. He pointed out that we should study and implement the important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on the biomedical industry. Organoids and organs‑on‑a‑chip represent a cutting‑edge discipline formed by the in‑depth integration of life sciences and engineering technologies, constituting a key frontier for biomedical innovation. This summit serves as a vivid practice driving the shift from discrete individual technological breakthroughs to systematic integrated innovation in organoid and organs‑on‑a‑chip research.
Sun Youhong stated that Southeast University attaches great importance to medicine‑engineering interdisciplinary innovation. Relying on the State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering and the Institute of Organs‑on‑a‑Chip, the University has conducted in‑depth research on organoids and organs‑on‑a‑chip and achieved major progress in constructing organ micro‑physiological systems, establishing standards and translating technologies into real‑world applications. He put forward three expectations: first, build global consensus to steer the development of micro‑physiological systems; second, pool global wisdom to foster a new international model for talent cultivation; third, deepen global cooperation to explore new pathways for micro‑physiological systems to benefit human health. He expressed the hope that this high‑level, multi‑dimensional and comprehensive academic event will pool innovative strengths across the Asia‑Pacific and beyond for a brighter future of human health.
At the opening ceremony, Sun Youhong and Jiang Min jointly unveiled the Southeast University Platform for Sci‑Tech Achievement Transformation of Organs‑on‑a‑Chip. This national‑level hub for industrial translation of organs‑on‑a‑chip integrates cutting‑edge R&D, public technical services, industry‑university‑research‑medicine scientific‑technological achievement transformation, industrial incubation, talent recruitment and development, and international academic exchanges. Equipped with high‑standard laboratories covering 2,300 square meters, the platform centers on three core functions: sci‑tech achievement transformation, public technical services and industrial ecosystem cultivation. Leveraging premium resources including the State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering and deeply integrating artificial intelligence technologies, it empowers diverse sectors ranging from new drug R&D and precision medicine to safety assessment for cosmetics and chemicals.
Back in 2012, Southeast University took the lead in establishing China’s first Ministry of Education (MOE) Innovation Team in the field of organs‑on‑a‑chip. In 2025, it formally signed a cooperation agreement with the Health Office of Nanjing Jiangbei New Area to co‑build the Platform for Sci‑Tech Achievement Transformation of Organs‑on‑a‑Chip. Going forward, building on this platform, the University will keep advancing technological innovation and industrial integration, advance the translation of cutting‑edge organs‑on‑a‑chip scientific achievements, foster a vibrant industrial ecosystem, and fully support Jiangbei New Area to grow into a strategic hub for the organs‑on‑a‑chip industry in China and across the globe.
During the conference, Academician Cheng Heping, Academician Teng Gaojun, Wang Qingli, Deputy Director of the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Xie Zhangshu, Deputy Director of the Center for Healthcare Price and Bidding Procurement Guidance under the National Healthcare Security Administration, Danilo Tagle, Senior Scientific Expert from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Jan Lichtenberg, incoming President of iMPSS and Founder and CEO of InSphero (Switzerland), and Prof. Gu Zhongze, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering and Dean of the Institute of Organs‑on‑a‑Chip at Southeast University, delivered addresses and keynote reports respectively covering innovation in interventional medicine, NAMs (New Approach Methodologies) and shifts in pharmaceutical regulatory strategies, strategic empowerment by healthcare insurance, global adoption of MPS, scaling‑up of organoids, as well as organs‑on‑a‑chip and artificial intelligence.
