On September 11, in the warm spirit following the 40th Teachers’ Day celebration, Ma Jun, an alumnus from the Class of 1980 and a leading expert in nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy, returned to his alma mater to share his insights. He delivered a compelling lecture titled “Driving Technological Innovation Through Clinical Challenges—Nurturing Innovative Young Talent in Research”. The event attracted a full audience, including Chen Xiang, Executive Vice President of Central South University and Dean of Xiangya School of Medicine, Vice President Li Zhihong, and leaders from various medical departments and affiliated hospitals.

This year marks the 110th anniversary of Xiangya Medical Education at Central South University, celebrated with 110 academic events designed to inspire wisdom, foster innovative thinking, and open a new chapter in Xiangya’s medical development. During his engaging lecture, Academician Ma fondly reflected on his educational journey and explained how technological innovation has propelled advancements in clinical treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, highlighting China’s transition from “following” to “leading” in this field. Over the past 23 years, the NCCN guidelines in the U.S. have seen six major revisions, five of which were informed by research from Academician Ma’s team. He encouraged Xiangya students to value their time, build a strong foundation for research, and continuously expand their horizons to stay at the forefront of scientific progress.

Academician Ma entered Hunan Medical College (now Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University) in 1980 and was elected as an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in November 2023. He focuses on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, leading various studies aimed at improving patient outcomes. While most cancer treatments in China reference established international guidelines, the “international standards” for nasopharyngeal carcinoma are now shaped by Chinese scholars, with Academician Ma among the leading figures. He is recognized as a prominent expert in this field, making a significant impact on both national and international stages.

(Reviewed by Li Ruijun, Liu Zhisheng, Huang Gengwen)