The 3rd International Conference on Pig Models opened in Zhuozhou, Hebei, releasing 415 agricultural scientific and technological achievements
On October 16, the Third International Pig Model Conference and Modern Biotechnology Achievement Transformation Conference kicked off in Zhuozhou, Hebei Province.
This year’s conference, themed “Promoting New Quality Innovation in Pig Models and Advancing the Transformation of Modern Biotechnology Achievements,” was hosted by China Agricultural University, the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Department of Hebei Province, and the Baoding Municipal People’s Government. The event attracted experts and scholars from related national ministries, domestic and international research institutions, as well as representatives from major agricultural enterprises, the biopharmaceutical industry, and modern biological agriculture.
Zhang Guohui, a senior inspector at the Ministry of Education’s Science and Technology and Information Department, emphasized the significant role of model organism research in advancing biomedical development. He noted that pigs share many similarities with humans in terms of organ structure, physiological regulation, behavioral patterns, and genetic control mechanisms. As such, they are a widely recognized model for studying cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and organ transplantation.
During the event, Tian Jianhui, the Vice President of China Agricultural University, provided insights into the National Model Animal Science Center, which began construction in 2019 with a total investment of 759 million yuan. Located in the Zhuozhou National Agricultural Science and Technology Park, the center will feature systems for model animal production and breeding, phenotypic analysis, genetic analysis, and information processing with intelligent automation controls. Once completed, it is expected to have a significant impact on understanding immune rejection mechanisms of humanized pig organs, developing models for major human diseases, and elucidating disease progression in humans, thereby contributing to human health and animal breeding.
During the event, attendees jointly inaugurated the “National Model Animal Science Center” and the “DCS LAB Omics Frontier Laboratory.” A total of 415 achievements in agricultural science and technology—including new varieties, technologies, and equipment—were announced. Additionally, 18 cooperative projects related to model animal facilities and modern biotechnology in Baoding were signed, covering fields such as biopharmaceuticals, digital agriculture, clean energy, and nutritional regulation technology development. Leading figures, including Academician Qiao Shiyan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Professor Wu Sen from China Agricultural University, delivered keynote speeches.
In recent years, Zhuozhou has focused on the theme of “Efficient New Quality Agriculture in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region.” By leveraging projects like the National Model Animal Science Center and the National Crop Molecular Breeding Center, Zhuozhou is vigorously developing a modern biological agriculture-led industrial cluster, supported by a complete pig industry chain, agricultural technology services, and food processing. The city is actively engaging in the transfer of industries and technology from Beijing while fostering the transformation of scientific achievements, aiming to create a leading domestic and world-class “Agricultural Silicon Valley.”