The Clinical Stem Cell Research Center was established in 2010 and was co-founded by Ren Ji Hospital and Med-X Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The Center is located on the 15th floor in Building no. 5 of the East Campus of Ren Ji Hospital, with a laboratory space of 1000 square meters. By the end of 2023, there are 8 research groups and 32 staffs, including 20 assistant/associate/full professors, 13 graduate student mentors (8 doctoral supervisors and 5 master supervisors; Enrollment major: Oncology and Basic Medical Science). Currently, the Center has 30 graduate students (17 doctoral students and 13 master students) and 7 post-doctorial fellows. The center has a “Stem Cells, Microenvironment and Tumor Biology” Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation (National 111 Center).

The main research areas of the Clinical Stem Cell Research Center are stem cell and tissue repair; Tumor stem cells and tumor development; Targeted therapy of tumors and translational medicine. The three areas are led by Drs. Wei-Qiang Gao, Helen He Zhu and Jing Xue, respectively.

There are eight research groups in total, including the "Laboratory of Stem Cells in Tissue Repair and Tumor" led by Professor Wei-Qiang Gao (current director of the Center), the "Laboratory of Tumor Metastasis and Cancer Stem Cell" led by Professor Haizhong Feng, the "Laboratory of Tissue Stem Cells and Tumor Stem Cells" led by Professor Helen He Zhu, the "Laboratory of Inflammation and Tumorigenesis" led by Professor Jing Xue, the "Laboratory of Prostate Tumor Biology and Modeling" led by Professor Chee Wai Chua, the "Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment" led by Professor Jun Gui, the "Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Cancer" led by Professor Guanglei Zhuang and the "Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism" led by Professor Yanfeng Liu. In particular, research topics that are actively investigated include stem cell division modes, stemness regulation, tissue stem cell heterogeneity, cells-of-origins of cancer, cancer stem cells, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor immunity and tumor metabolism.

Our objectives: We are from the multi-level, multi-angle and multi-means of molecules, cells, organs and systems, to study the mechanisms and intervention targets of stem cell division and differentiation, tumor stem cell formation and tumor immune escape, so to find new methods of cellular and molecular targeted therapy.

Our Missions: We are to aim at the three national strategies of the world's scientific and technological frontiers, national major needs and people's life and health, enhance the international influence of life medicine research, and develop the world's first "China program" for disease treatment with independent intellectual property rights, benefit patients, reduce treatment costs, prolong patients' life, improve patients' quality of life, and contribute to the country's great health and social and economic development.

Achievements: Since its establishment, the Clinical Stem Cell Research Center has progressed rapidly. By the end of 2023, it has obtained 99 national-level grants and 51 provincial-level grants. The total research funding has exceeded 100 million Chinese Yuan. These include 3 National Key R&D Program Grant of China, 5 key grants from National Natural Science Foundation (NSFC), 3 NSFC Excellent Young Scholar Grants, 42 NSFC regular grants,28 NSFC youth grants, 3 NSFC foreign youth grants. A number of important scientific research achievements with international influence have been produced, including 180 SCI publications in SCI journals (52 papers with Impact Factor≥10 and 85 papers with 5≤Impact Factor<10, including publications in Cancer Cell, Cell Metabolism, Nature Cancer, Cell Reports, JCI, Gastroenterology, Nature Communications, Cell Research, etc., together with 21 filed patents and 4 granted patents.

The Center has made great effort in team building and talent recruitment. 7 principle investigators have been recruited from the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and Malaysia. Over 10 staffs were selected for various national and Shanghai talent programs, including 1 National Distinguished Expert, 1 KC Wong Professor, 3 National Excellent Young Scholar, 2 Shanghai Distinguished Expert, 6 Eastern Scholars, 3 Youth Eastern Scholars, 2 Shanghai Youth Talent Support Program, 1 Excellent Youth Scholar in Shanghai Health System, 4 Pujiang Talents, 3 Shanghai Science and Technology Rising-Stars and 1 Shanghai Science and Technology Yang Fan project. The Center has successfully trained 10 postdoctoral fellows, 27 doctoral students and 13 master students. More than 10 graduated doctoral students have later pursued postdoctoral trainings at top research institutions in the United States, including Harvard University (2), Yale University, Columbia University, University of Washington, Northwest University, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baylor College of Medicine (2), MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and University of California San Diego (UCSD); 4 master students have gone to the University of Heidelberg, Freie Universität Berlin in the Europe and Universities in Australia for their Ph.D. studies. In addition, many of the students have successfully secured national and Shanghai research funds or awards, including 8 National Postdoctoral Funds, 3 Shanghai Postdoctoral Fund and 9 National Scholarships.

The Clinical Stem Cell Research Center values both national and international scientific cooperation and exchanges. It has hosted multiple important academic activities and conferences, including the International Forum on Stem Cell Division Mode and Stemness Maintenance and Frontiers in Stem Cell and Cancer Research International Conference.

Prospect: In the coming ten years, the Clinical Stem Cell Research Center will aim to further integrate its existing academic platforms and the clinical strength from Ren Ji Hospital to study stem cells in development and tissue repair, tumor stem cells and tumorigenesis; to uncover new stem cells and tumor biomarkers; to provide new approaches for molecular classification of cancer; and to develop novel cancer diagnostic and treatment targets. The Center will strive for the recognition as a center of research excellence in the stem cell, cancer and translational medicine fields that has great domestic and international influences.