[Thoughts of the combination of medicine and engineering and collaborative innovation on surgery in China]

Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2020 Jun 25;23(6):562-565. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn.441530-20200331-00174.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

The combination of medicine and engineering is a new interdisciplinary subject, which is a mode of cross integration and collaborative innovation between medical science and engineering. The combination and collaborative innovation of medicine and industry means more about the improvement, innovation and R&D of medical devices. However, the combination of traditional industry with biomedical engineering, modern medical imaging technology, electronic information technology and other high-tech in medical device industry is a reflection of the manufacturing industry and high-tech level of a country. The development mode of medical industry integration and collaborative innovation in China is mainly to merge medical colleges and universities with science and engineering colleges, promote the cross of different departments, and set up biomedical engineering specialty under the support of a series of relevant national policies, relying on large-scale comprehensive hospitals and research institutes, establish numerous research centers of translational medicine, thus achieving a series of achievements. Our team has made some explorations in the practice of the combination of medicine and engineering, including the utility model patent "reusable simple anal expander" and "incision protective cover of transanal multi-channel endoscopic surgery operation platform", which have been authorized by the State Intellectual Property Office, meanwhile the ultra-fine laparoscope, intragastric gasbag and other projects have been demonstrated by relevant research and development teams and are to be transformed into production. On January 10, 2020, with the approval of Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association, the Medical Innovation and Transformation Expert Committee of Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association was established jointly with the representatives of medical colleagues, scientific research institutions and enterprises, who are interested in the combination of medical industry and collaborative innovation. This Committee provides a platform for the exchange of medical colleagues, scientific research institutions and enterprises. We realize that clinical practice is the source of the combination of medical workers and collaborative innovation, and clinicians are the driving force of the combination of medical workers and collaborative innovation. At present, the main problems faced by the development of medical industry integration in China are as follows: insufficient integration of medical industry integration disciplines in the basic research stage; less interaction of clinical application needs in the application research stage; difficult transformation of scientific research achievements; the unconnected whole chain of "production, learning, research and application". If we can increase the investment in scientific research and policy incentives, strengthen the communication and interaction with enterprises, pay more attentions to the social and economic benefits of the promotion of achievements, open the whole process of the combination of medicine and industry, and improve the evaluation mechanism of the innovation ability of such combination, combination of medicine and engineering and collaborative innovation in China will enter the golden period of rapid development.

医工结合是指将医学与理工科学进行交叉融合、协同创新的模式,是一门新兴的交叉学科。外科的医工结合、协同创新,更多的是指医疗器械的改进、创新和研发,而医疗器械行业将传统工业与生物医学工程、现代医学影像技术、电子信息技术等高新技术相结合,是一个国家制造业和高科技水平的一个体现。我国医工结合、协同创新的发展模式主要是指,在国家一系列相关政策的扶持下,将医科类院校与理工科院校合并,促进不同学科相互交叉,设立生物医学工程专业;依托大型综合性医院和研究所,成立众多的转化医学研究中心,从而取得了一系列成就。笔者及其团队在医工结合的实践中做了一些探索,包括实用新型专利"可重复使用的简易扩肛器"及"经肛多通道腔镜手术操作平台的切口保护套"已获得国家知识产权局授权,超细腹腔镜、胃内气囊等项目已通过相关研发团队论证并拟行转化生产;同时,于2020年1月10日,在广东省药学会的批准下,联合有志于医工结合、协同创新的医疗同道、科研机构和企业代表,成立了广东省药学会医药创新与转化专家委员会,为医疗同道、科研机构和企业搭建了交流的平台。我们体会到,临床实践是医工结合、协同创新的源泉;临床医生是医工结合、协同创新的原动力。目前,我国医工结合发展面临的主要问题为,基础研究阶段医工结合学科融合不充分、应用研究阶段临床应用需求互动少、科研成果转化难和"产学研用"全链条不贯通。如果能加大科研投入和政策激励力度、加强与企业的沟通互动、关注成果推广的社会效益和经济效益以及打通医工结合全流程、完善医工结合创新能力评价机制,我国的医工结合、协同创新必将进入高速发展的黄金时期。.

Keywords: Collaborative innovation; Combination of medicine and engineering; Development; Surgery.

MeSH terms

  • Biomedical Research
  • Biomedical Technology
  • China
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Property
  • Inventions*
  • Surgical Procedures, Operative*
  • Technology Transfer*
  • Universities