​​The 3rd International Forum on Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology in Beijing, China

A successful 3^rd International Forum on IMNA (Integrative Medicine in Nephrology and Andrology) was held on August 25-26, 2023, at the Changfeng Holiday Hotel in Beijing, China. The goals of the Form were to accelerate the international development of traditional Chinese medicine in nephrology and andrology, and to establish a platform for communication and exchange between traditional Chinese medicine practitioners at home and abroad. The 3^rd International Forum on IMNA was co-hosted by the Medication Safety Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, the American Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Society (ATCMS), and the Hong Kong Association for Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine.

The Forum focused primarily on hot topics within immunology, inflammation, and metabolism as they relate to nephrology and andrology. Keynote presentations were given both in person and online by nationally and internationally renown scholars. The conference consisted of three parts: the editorial board meeting (which included a ceremony to welcome many young investigators as new members of the Editorial Board); the keynote speeches, and; the Young Scholars Forum.

Many renowned experts and scholars in the fields of nephrology and andrology, both domestic and international, participated in the opening ceremony (in person or online), including; Deputy Secretary Li Qiuyan of the Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS, Prof. Huiyao Lan and Prof. Ping Li (Editors-in-Chief), Prof. Renhuan Yu and Prof. Jun Guo (Executive Editors-in-Chief), Prof. David Nikolic-Paterson (Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia), Prof. Zhixiu Lin (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Prof. David Sheikh-Hamad (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA), Prof. Cijiang He (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA), Prof. Jean-Paul Menneguerre (CEO of EMEA International Business Division, Sweden), Prof. Ping Fu (West China Hospital of Sichuan University), Prof. Zhu Yizhun (Macau University of Science and Technology), Prof. Lidan Zhong (Nanyang Technological University in Singapore), Prof. Yan Guo (University of Miami, USA) and President Hong Su of the ATCMS.

Prof. Renhuan Yu presided over the opening ceremony. Prof. Huiyao Lan delivered a welcome speech, noting that this was the first in person conference since the establishment of IMNA journal and expressing gratitude for the strong support from the host, the Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS. He also thanked the conference speakers, participants, members of the IMNA editorial board, and the organizing committee for their support of the conference and the journal. He called for collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine practitioners from multiple perspectives to promote academic exchange and scientific research. He emphasized that IMNA is not only a platform for publishing academic achievements but also a forum for young scholars to learn, exchange ideas, and conduct research. He hoped that more outstanding young scholars would join the IMNA editorial board and contribute to the development of a high-level journal.

Deputy Secretary Li Qiuyan, delivered an important speech, highlighting that nephrology and andrology are key specialties and high-level disciplines in the Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS. The IMNA journal has been included in the hospital's "14th Five-Year Plan" for development and has received strong support from the hospital. With the support and assistance of experts, IMNA has made significant progress since its establishment two years ago. Currently, the journal is in a critical period of development, and it is believed that with strong leadership, ongoing contributions from the high-level editorial team, and positive engagement with practitioners and researchers within the wider field, that the IMNA journal will prove to be an international success.

Prof. Keji Chen, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Honorary Editor-in-Chief of IMNA, delivered an online speech. Academician Chen expressed his gratitude and recognition for the work and achievements of the Chief Editors and editorial board of IMNA over the past two years. He pointed out that kidney diseases and male diseases have high morbidity rates, significant harm, and lack effective treatments in many cases. Traditional Chinese medicine has certain advantages in the prevention and treatment of kidney diseases and male diseases. He hoped that experts would fully exchange ideas and conduct in-depth academic research and cooperation in the field of integrative medicine during this conference. He also expressed his hope for continued support from experts to further develop IMNA into a more influential journal.​

This forum focused on the hot topics in the disciplines of immunology, inflammation, and metabolism related to kidney diseases and male diseases. More than 20 renowned experts from the United States, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong (China), Macau (China) and mainland China were invited to discuss new concepts, technologies, mechanisms, and methods in both basic and clinical research in kidney diseases and male diseases. The thematic content includes lectures on the following topics: "Megalin-facilitated mitochondrial intracrine signaling" (Prof. David Sheikh-Hamad, United States); "HCK as a new drug target for anti-inflammatory and anti-Fibrosis therapy" (Prof. He Cijiang, United States); "Multi-disciplinary management model and clinical practice of diabetic nephropathy with integrated Chinese and Western medicine" (Prof. Niansong Wang); "Clinical advantages and new mechanism of action of Tangshan Formula for the treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease" (Prof. Ping Li); "Modelling diabetes as a risk factor for acute kidney injury and the transition to chronic kidney disease" (Prof. David J Nikolic-Paterson, Australia); "Can Prostate Cancer Patients Take Yang-tonifying Traditional Chinese Medicine?" (Prof. Zhixiu Lin, Hong Kong, China); "Past, Present, and Future of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Male Reproductive Aging" (Prof. Jun Guo); "Hemadsorption: the new frontier of blood purification" (Prof. Jean-Paul Menneguerre, Sweden); "How to establish an international platform for clinical research: my experience and sharing" (Prof. Lidan Zhong, Singapore); "Comprehensive genomic data analysis" (Prof. Yan Guo, United States), and; "Immune response and inflammation: the kidney and beyond" (Prof. Yizhun Zhu, Macau, China). The thematic presentations cover various aspects, including basic research, clinical research, multidisciplinary management models for chronic diseases, the establishment of an international clinical research platform, and genomic data analysis, providing an academically stimulating and highly educational event. ​

（Keynote Speakers）

During this forum, the IMNA Young Editorial Board was established. Through expert recommendations and selection, a total of 42 outstanding young scholars were recruited, and they were presented with the Young Editorial Board Certificate. ​

A highly successful Young Investigator Forum was held. A total of 36 abstract submissions were received, assessed by an international panel of experts, and the top 10 young scholars were selected to give presentations in English. The standard of presentations was very high which gave the judges a very difficult task. The judging panel consisted of Prof. Huiyao Lan, Prof. Yingyong Zhao, Prof. Li Wang, Prof. Kun Gao, Prof. Tingting Zhao, and Prof. Baoxing Liu. They awarded one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes, and four outstanding awards among the participants.

The IMNA journal and forum attaches great importance to the growth and development of young scholars, encouraging them to showcase their academic abilities and research enthusiasm. Young scholars are the driving force behind the development of the IMNA journal, and it is hoped that they will leverage their respective strengths to contribute to the development of the professional field and the construction of the IMNA journal.​

During the editorial board working meeting, the Editor-in-Chief Li Ping introduced the newly added Associate Editors for IMNA this year: Prof. Lin Zhixiu, and Prof. Ping Fu. Additionally, the newly added Editorial Board members are Prof. Jizhong Cheng and Prof. Zhong Lidan. Executive Editor-in-Chief Renhuan Yu presented a work report on the IMNA journal, providing an overview of the manuscript quantity, sources, review speed, citation status, editorial board contributions, editorial board responsibilities, and the current issues and challenges faced by the journal over the past two years.

Following that, Editors-in-Chief Lan Huiyao and Li Ping, along with Prof. David Nikolic-Paterson, Prof. Zhao Yingyong, Prof. Qihe Xu, Prof. Tong Wang, and Prof. Patrick Tang, focused on discussing the problems and solutions related to the development of the IMNA journal, as well as strategies to improve the journal's quality.​

The IMNA International Forum received high praise from numerous participants, with a total of nearly 2500 attendees both online and offline. Among them, approximately 150 participants joined the conference online from overseas locations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Austria, Singapore, Istanbul, Hong Kong (China), and Macau (China). IMNA has provided an excellent platform for international exchange and collaboration in the field of integrated medicine for kidney disease and male reproductive disorders. This platform is conducive to promoting the application and dissemination of integrated medicine in clinical diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease and male reproductive disorders worldwide.​

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 IMNA Editorial Office

                                                                        30 August 2023