A Doctor in our Very Own Backyard Has Acheived Incredible Breakthroughs in Medical Science

A Shanghai doctor has achieved landmark recognition in global science. Dr. Xu Huji of Changzheng Hospital, the pioneer of a groundbreaking treatment for autoimmune diseases, has been named to Nature's 10, the prestigious list highlighting individuals who shaped the course of science in 2024.

Cancer Fighting Research

Xu's innovation represents a significant leap forward in CAR-T cell therapy – a treatment originally designed to reprogram a patient's own immune cells (T cells, a type of white blood cell critical to immune response) to fight diseases like cancer. His team has broken new ground by using genetically engineered T cells from healthy donors instead of relying on the patient's own cells. By producing these cells in batches, this approach dramatically reduces costs and simplifies production, addressing some of the financial barriers associated with high-cost healthcare systems (such as in the US).

The results have the medical community talking. In the first clinical trial, three patients – one suffering from refractory immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (a severe muscle disorder caused by immune system attack on muscle tissue) and two with systemic sclerosis (a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to skin thickening and organ damage) – showed remarkable improvements after receiving the donor-derived T cell infusions. The research, published in Cell in July, has drawn global attention and brought new hope to the over 8% of the world's population living with autoimmune diseases. These conditions, the third-leading cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular diseases and cancer, often carry enormous physical and financial burdens. For the 30% of patients with refractory cases (diseases resistant to standard treatments), the challenges are even greater.

Xu's method offers a genuine beacon of hope. Since the initial success, his team has extended the therapy to more than two dozen additional patients and aims to make it available even for those with milder conditions. "We have a plan," Xu told Nature. "We really want this to be widely used."

Xu's inclusion in Nature's 10 is shared with another Chinese trailblazer, Li Chunlai, the mastermind behind the Chang'e-6 lunar mission. Together, their achievements underscore China's growing influence on the cutting-edge frontiers of science and technology.

Check our previous report on him: Hospital sees success in novel therapy for patients with autoimmune diseases

Want to be part of this medical therapy trial?

PS: Patients who want to consult or participate in the clinical trial can contact Dr Wang Xiaobing at gale820907@163.com.