Recently, the winners of the 22nd Wu Jieping–Paul Janssen MedicalPharmaceutical Award (“Wu-Yang Award”) were officially announced. Professor Liu Zuguo, President of the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China, was recognized as an expert in clinical medicine for his outstanding achievements. Behind this prestigious honor lies his unwavering commitment to academic exploration, tireless pursuit of excellence,pioneering research innovation.
Prof. Liu Zuguo
Pioneering New Frontiers: Bringing Light to Patients
As the first ophthalmologist to be included in the “Chang Jiang Scholars Program”, Professor Liu Zuguo is also a recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Chief Scientist of a National Key R&D Program of China, President of the Asia Dry Eye Society, academician of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology,founder of dry eye discipline in China. He established the countrys first ocular surface disease center, founded the dry eye specialty clinic,has long been at the forefront of clinical practicescientific research. He led the development of seven national consensus statementsguidelines on dry eyewas a principal contributor to the international dry eye guidelines. Addressing the global debate on whether dry eye affects vision, Professor Liu Zuguo was the first to propose that "dry eye can lead to changes in vision"—a breakthrough recognized in the 2007 international dry eye guidelines as one of the three most significant advances in the field over the past decadeincorporatedthe updated definitions. He also achieved a major milestone in xenogeneic tissue engineered cornea by successfully transplanting decellularized porcine corneashumans—an internationally significant advancement. In addition, Professor Liu developed a dry eye diagnostic scale, which ranks first among all scales recommended in China’s national consensus. He also proposed a novel classification system for dry eye, now recognized as one of the two major classification methods worldwide.
Scientific Innovation: Powering Medical Technology
While achieving remarkable progress in medical technology, Professor Liu has also excelled in transformingpromoting research achievements. His innovationstechniques are now widely adopted across Chinain many countries around the world, benefiting approximately 40 million patients annually.
His research contributions have earned widespread recognition both at homeabroad. He has published over 450 academic papers (more than 190 in SCI-indexed journals), including 35 in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS), one of the worlds leading journals in ophthalmicvision research,over 100 papers in Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. He holds more than 30 invention patents, and has been awarded the State ScientificTechnological Progress Award (Second Prize) three times (once as the first recipienttwo times as the second recipient),won nine First Prizes at the ministerialprovincial level (six times as the first recipient). His honors include the Outstanding Achievement Award of Chinese Ophthalmological Society, the APAO Achievement Award, the Wu Jieping Medical Innovation Award,the WuXi AppTec Medicinal Chemistry Award. He has served two terms as President of the Asia Dry Eye Societywas the first Chinese ophthalmologist to chair an international academic organization in this field, establishing his global influenceleadership in ocular surfacedry eye research.
New Recognition: Leading the Field with Global Acclaim
The conferral of the 22nd Wu Jieping–Paul Janssen MedicalPharmaceutical Award highlights Professor Liu’s significant contributions to ocular surfacecorneal disease research, particularly in the areas of dry eye, corneal neovascularization, corneal stem cellstissue engineering, as well as ophthalmic medical devicesintelligent healthcare.
Established in 1994 with the approval of the Ministry of ScienceTechnology, the Wu-Yang Award honors outstanding youngmiddle-aged medical professionals who have made significant contributions in medicalpharmaceutical fieldsearned broad recognition from peerssociety. By 2021, a total of 449 individuals had received the award, including 38 academicians. Only 15 individuals nationwide received the honor for the 22nd session, with Professor Liu Zuguo among them.
Giving Back to His Hometown: Nurturing Talent for the Future
From his early days in medicine to the pinnacle of academic recognition, Professor Liu has always valued both clinical excellencescientific discovery. He also views talent cultivation as essential to medical innovation. To date, he has mentored over 100 postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D.master’s students, many of whom continue to advance the fieldserve patients both in Chinaabroad.
A native of Hunan, Professor Liu returned in September 2020 to lead the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, his alma mater,his contributions have helped elevate the institution’s standing in ophthalmology. In January 2022, the hospital was approved as the “Hunan Clinical Research Center for Dry Eye Disease,” supporting the development of a high-level, open research platformdriving forward innovation in collaborative research, academic exchange,the transformationapplication of research outcomes. With a pioneering mindseta passion for innovation, Professor Liu continues to shape the future of medical sciencehealthcare development. His leadershipexpertise have left a profound mark on the industrylaid a strong foundation for the inheritanceprogression of medical knowledge. Moving forward, he will continue working hand in hand with the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China to pursue high-quality development for public hospitals.