On October 26, 2024, the inauguration ceremony of the International Society for Computational Biology China Council (ISCB-China) was held in Beijing. Distinguished professors and scholars from universities and research institutes across China, industry representatives, and renowned professors from top U.S. universities gathered to witness this historic moment. They discussed the development of the discipline, scientific frontiers, and the promising future of international exchanges and collaborations. They also explored the integration of academic and industrial development through ISCB-China. Professor Xuegong Zhang from the Automation Department at Tsinghua University, a Fellow of ISCB and the founding chair of ISCB-China, presided over the launch ceremony. Professor Xiaowo Wang and Professor Rui Jiang also attended the ceremony as members of the Board of Directors (BoD).

At the launch ceremony, Professor Hongwei Wang, Deputy Vice President of Tsinghua University, delivered a speech on behalf of Tsinghua University. He highlighted that the official establishment of ISCB-China marks a significant milestone in China's bioinformatics field and provides a valuable opportunity for active engagement with the international academic community and deeper global collaboration. Bioinformatics, as a cutting-edge interdisciplinary field that merges life sciences, information sciences, and artificial intelligence, has had made profound impacts in areas such as genomics, proteomics, and precision medicine. It offers powerful tools and new perspectives for life science research and significiantly advances the breadth and depth of biomedical research.

Professor Hongwei Wang, Deputy Vice President of Tsinghua University, delivered a speech

ISCB is the only society representing computational biology and bioinformatics on a global scale, serving a community of over 4,000 researchers, practitioners, technicians, students, and suppliers dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of living systems through computation. In September 2024, ISCB established the China Secretariat at Tsinghua University and formed the ISCB-China Council (ISCB-China) to represent ISCB in China and the Asia-Pacific region. The mission of ISCB-China aligns with the global strategy of advocating for and advancing scholarship, research, training, outreach, and inclusive community building in computational biology and related professions. Additionally, it aims to foster deep integration and collaborations between academia and industries across the upstream, middle, and downstream sectors.

At the inauguration ceremony, Professor Xuegong Zhang, the founding chair of ISCB-China, introduced the background and strategic plan of ISCB-China. He highlighted that computational biology and bioinformatics are gaining significant attention from the global scientific community and industry.

With the establishment of this society, China is well-positioned to make substantial contributions to the global computational biology community, helping to shape the future of this exciting and important field.

Diane Kovats, CEO of ISCB, presented an appointment letter to Professor Xuegong Zhang, the founding chair of ISCB-China.