On September 12, 2025, The Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART), Shenzhen Bay Laboratory(SZBL),Zhongguancun Academy×Zhongguancun Institute of Artificial Intelligence held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony in Beijing. The four parties will leverage their respective strengths in artificial intelligence, biomedicine, translational medicine, and industrial incubation to promote cross-disciplinary integration and collaborative innovation in the fields of artificial intelligence and life sciences.
Nieng Yan, President of Smart and director of SZBL, and TieyanLiu, Party Secretary and President of Zhongguancun Academyand Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zhongguancun Institute of Artificial Intelligence, jointly signed the quadripartite strategic cooperation agreement. Witnessing the signing were Haiguang Liu, Chief Scientist and Director of the Research Department of Zhongguancun Academy×Zhongguancun Institute of Artificial Intelligence, along with Deputy Director Chuan Cao; Kai Huang, Junior Principal Investigator of SZBL; and Mingxu Hu, Junior Principal Investigator of SMART. This signing marks a cross-regional, cross-disciplinary, and cross-institutional “powerhouse alliance” between the capital's and Greater Bay Area's twin engines of scientific innovation. Under the agreement, partners will deepen collaboration in talent cultivation, platform co-construction, project sharing, and outcome dissemination to build a novel “AI+Biomedicine” innovation ecosystem.
Nieng Yan described the collaboration as a “mutually reinforcing partnership,” noting that “Shenzhen needs AI to empower pharmaceutical innovation, while AI requires real-world medical scenarios to inform algorithmic refinement. Today's signing is not merely a ‘joining forces’ but a ‘chain reaction’ that connects fundamental theory, technological breakthroughs, clinical validation, and industrial implementation—accelerating progress.”
Tieyan Liu stated, “Artificial intelligence is reshaping scientific research paradigms. We aim to empower the biomedical field, bridge disciplinary divides, break down barriers, and promote deep integration between AI and life sciences to accelerate scientific discovery. We will jointly cultivate ‘AI + Life Sciences’ innovation talent. The fusion of AI and biology is not a simple ‘1+1’ addition but a ‘multiplication’ effect of mutual amplification and empowerment—truly promising!”
On the signing day, the four parties also co-hosted the “AI×Biology” Interdisciplinary Symposium. The event gathered 12 experts from AI and life sciences, who engaged in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge advancements and trends in areas such as dark matter of life, protein design, neural network quantum chemistry, and genomic modeling, showcasing the latest progress in AI-life science convergence. The event also featured breakout sessions and flash presentations, where participants engaged in lively discussions on molecular science, genomics, and Bio4AI. New ideas and collaborations quietly took root amid Q&A exchanges and applause.
This partnership marks a significant stride in the collaborative exploration of AI and life sciences, providing robust support for advancing breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies, fostering industrial development, and serving national strategic objectives.
