On the morning of May 13, the inauguration ceremony for the Brain-Computer Interface Research Center at ShanghaiTech University was held at the ShanghaiTech University Conference Center. Experts attending the ceremony included Hairong Zheng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Executive Vice President of Nanjing University; Ning Gu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at Nanjing University; Dong Ming, Vice President of Tianjin University; Gang Pan, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence at Zhejiang University; Jinsong Wu, Professor at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University; and Qiuyun Fan, Professor at Tianjin University. Ruxin Li, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Party Secretary of ShanghaiTech University; Jingyi Yu, Vice President and Deputy Provost; and Zhenge Luo, Vice President, also attended the ceremony. The ceremony was hosted by Zhenge Luo.
In his remarks, Ruxin Li said that brain-computer interfaces represent an emerging frontier field shaped by the deep integration of brain science, artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, and clinical medicine. The field is also an important focus in serving major national strategic needs and advancing people’s health and well-being. ShanghaiTech University will leverage its multidisciplinary strengths in biomedical engineering, life sciences, information science, and clinical research, bring together high-quality innovation resources from both within and outside the university, and accelerate breakthroughs in key brain-computer interface technologies and their clinical translation.
Dinggang Shen, Founding Dean of the School of Biomedical Engineering, introduced the development plan for the Brain-Computer Interface Research Center. The center will carry out research in areas including brain science and neural mechanisms, neural interfaces and implantable systems, brain-computer intelligence systems, and clinical translation and applications. It will also build an open and collaborative interdisciplinary innovation platform.
Ruxin Li and Dinggang Shen jointly unveiled the Brain-Computer Interface Research Center at ShanghaiTech University.
Following the inauguration ceremony, Wei Shen, Fei He, Yuanning Li, and Zhiming Cui presented research progress reports on neural mechanisms and brain-computer interfaces, ultra-flexible neural interfaces and bidirectional brain-computer interaction technologies, invasive Chinese-language brain-computer interfaces, and early screening and intervention for Alzheimer’s disease through the integration of large AI models and brain-computer interfaces.
During the expert advisory session, participating experts offered targeted suggestions on the center’s positioning, interdisciplinary integration, clinical applications, research translation, and talent development. The experts agreed that the center’s research directions are closely aligned with ShanghaiTech University’s strengths and distinctive features, while addressing major scientific questions and real clinical needs. They recommended further strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration and deeper integration between medicine and engineering to promote the transition of brain-computer interface technologies from the laboratory to real-world clinical applications.
The establishment of the Brain-Computer Interface Research Center at ShanghaiTech University marks a solid step forward for the university in the interdisciplinary field of brain science and intelligent technology. Looking ahead, the center will stay closely aligned with national strategic priorities, remain committed to improving people’s health and well-being, continue to deepen basic research, achieve breakthroughs in key technologies, accelerate clinical translation, and ensure that the benefits of scientific and technological innovation serve the public.
