Recently, China Anti-Cancer Association announced the 2020 Science and Technology Awards. Prof Guo-Jun Zhang’s team was awarded the silver price by a research program “Study and Clinical Application of Breast Cancer Theranostics Guided by Molecular Imaging”. The program was undertaken, lasted for 9 years, and completed by the leader Prof Guo-Jun Zhang with key members Prof Chong-Wei Chi from the Institute of Automation of the China Academy of Sciences, Prof Shu Wang from the People's Hospital of Peking University, and Prof Cai-Wen Du from The Cancer Hospital of the China Academy of Medical Science, etc.

The team firstly discovered the role of Notch3 signaling pathway as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer, especially luminal breast cancer.

Secondly, built a specific molecular imaging reporting system for real-time and visual monitoring of cell cycle and EMT progression, which was efficient to evaluate and follow effects of both cell cycle and EMT targeted drugs.

Thirdly, established a real-time, dynamic and visual surgical navigation system based on ICG for sentinel lymph node biopsy and safe cutting mapping in breast-conserving surgery.

An integrated theranostic solution was therefore demonstrated and is of great potential value in solving the current issues in breast cancer therapy, which would be able to provide patients with individualized and precise treatments, reduce surgical blindness, improve quality of life and ultimately lower mortality rate.