Distinguished guests, invited speakers, dear colleagues and friends,

　　I am very pleased on behalf of Peking University to welcome you to the first annual meeting of the Peking University Institute of Systems Biomedicine. This meeting will provide us an excellent opportunity to share ideas and discuss on topics in cancer and translational medicine. As you know, translational medicine has become an extremely important field in recent years. Although biologic sciences have made great advances, translation of scientific discoveries into better therapeutic outcomes remains as a highly important task. We believe that it is now within the grasp of science and medicine to bring about great therapeutic advances and we hope this will occur in the near future.

　　In the public health sector, cancer has become the number one cause of disease mortality in most developing countries. The costs of cancer treatment and the consumption of medical resources is a heavy economic burden. Researchers have spent much effort on cancer in the past few decades. Systems biology is an emerging field that will accelerate study of cancer by application of high-throughput technologies and integration of multiple disciplines. Translational medicine will enable translation of scientific understanding of cancer mechanism into highly effective medical therapy. At the interface between the laboratory bench and the bedside, the ultimate mission of translational medicine will be to meet the challenges of developing customized cancer therapy. It is clear that in order to make significant advances in translational cancer medicine, there must be open lines of communication between researchers and clinicians. Peking University is a comprehensive university with expertise in many different disciplines. Peking University Health Science Center is a comprehensive medical school which includes medicine and almost all medical related disciplines in its teaching and research. This gives us a perfect platform for cross-disciplinary studies. 

　　In June of 2010, Peking University Health Science Center established the Institute of Systems Biomedicine. This institute focuses cancer study through a new research perspective known as systems biology. Through integrative methods of understanding cancer at the most basic level, our faculty are making great efforts to create predictive models for therapeutic response and bring about better means of treatment of cancer.

　　I hope today’s meeting will greatly promote study in this field by presenting and exchanging information regarding current advances in translational cancer medicine.

　　Finally, I would like to thank you all for attending this meeting and I hope you enjoy your stay on our campus and in Beijing.