More than 40 Nobel laureates are in Shanghai for the 2019 World Laureates Forum, which begins Tuesday. The laureates will discuss the latest in science and technology, including artificial intelligence, neurodegenerative diseases and the discovery of new drugs.
The organizers of the forum at Pudong’s Lingang New Area have invited winners of the Nobel Prize, Wolf Prize, Lasker Prize, Turing Award, MacArthur Fellowship and Fields Medal to brainstorm on “technology for the common destiny of mankind.”
Academicians, young scientists, entrepreneurs and financiers from industries related to science and technology will participate in the forum as well. Compared with last year, this year’s forum, which ends on Thursday, has a larger size, more diverse participants and broader social influence.
Gregg Semenza, a 2019 Nobel Prize winner in medicine, who is on his third visit to China, said in the future scientists will pay more attention to prophylactic drugs. Semenza said besides his field of research in biomedicine he enjoys astronomy and blackhole.
He said he is looking forward to meeting fellow scientists and experts at the forum near Dishui Lake.
Aaron Ciechanover, who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2004, believes the next medical revolution to provide personalized and customized medical services will ensure a much longer lifespan for human beings.
The 72-year-old Israeli biochemist said they can now detect diseases from people’s DNA and give personalized treatment according to the characteristics of the DNA.
The World Laureates Association Shanghai Center was established Tuesday at the ongoing World Laureates Forum held in the city, with a scientific community program unveiled.
Covering a planned area of 34 hectares with international joint labs built by Nobel Laureates, the community is expected to become a scientific base with industrial transformation capabilities, according to the project plan.
A new venue for the World Laureates Forum, an exhibition center, apartments for scientists and land for industrial use have been planned in the community, as well as residential facilities like bilingual schools and an international medical center.
Roger Kornberg, chairman of the World Laureates Association who was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, said the program will provide stronger support for young scientists and basic scientific research.
A total of 44 Nobel Prize laureates and 21 notable winners of other prestigious academic awards from around the world attended this year's forum. They will have discussions with Chinese academicians and young scientists.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the second World Laureates Forum that opened Tuesday in Shanghai.
Xi pointed out that science and technology are great creative activities of mankind, and that the development of science and technology requires a global perspective and must stay up to date with the times.
China is willing to work with all countries of the world to strengthen research and collaboration to promote sci-tech progress and address the challenges of our age, he said.
Xi noted that China attaches great importance to the development of the frontier fields of science and technology and is committed to promoting global cooperation in sci-tech innovation.
China will strengthen international sci-tech exchanges with a more open attitude, and help transform the wisdom and research achievements of Chinese and foreign scientists into a powerful momentum for economic and social development on the basis of platforms such as the World Laureates Forum, Xi stressed.
He expressed his hope for the representatives to the forum to promote basic science research, advocate international cooperation, support growth of young talent and contribute to a better future for mankind.
(Source:ourjiangsu.com)
