Date: Aug. 20, 2020
Source: Chinanews
Editor: Guojun
Photographer: Su Yunsheng
 

(Ye Wencai)
  
As traditional Chinese medicine -- TCM -- shows its potential in the fight against Covid-19, it is expanding its global presence by its unique advantages, JNU Vice President Ye Wencai, told Chinanews in an interview on Aug. 20. And he predicted that TCM would attract increasing support from government and embrace a brighter future.

As a renowned expert in traditional and natural medicinal chemistry, Ye has long dedicated himself to research on traditional and natural medicine, including active ingredients of natural or traditional medicine and original new medicine. With his ample study on active ingredients of over 150 natural or traditional medicine, Ye has discovered more than 1,000 new compounds and some important lead compounds of new drugs.

This year Ye was among the second group of National Innovation Workers, honoring workers who had made important science and technology contributions.

His team was highly honored for its contributions to systematic research on triterpenes and saponins in natural and traditional medicine. The program was nominated for Top 10 Medical Advances in China in 2017 and ranked second in the 2017 National Science and Technology Progress Awards.
In 2002, on the recommendation of Yao Xinsheng, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Ye transferred from China Pharmaceutical University to Jinan University as deputy executive director of the newly established Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Medicine. Over the next 10 years, he never wavered from his commitment to the study of TCM and natural pharmaceutical chemistry, and to the modernization of TCM.
Speaking of the development of Chinese medicine at JNU, Ye said Chinese medicine has ranked fourth in China in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for three straight years, and Chinese pharmacy has been selected as a national “double first-class” discipline.
JNU also plans to establish an Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Medicine to allocate and integrate the university’s resources for research on Chinese medicine and natural medicine, Ye added. It will also set up more majors in the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as science of acupuncture and moxibustion which is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy using moxa made from dried mugwort.
Ye encouraged students to choose major that interest them, make good career plans, and then study assiduously and perseveringly.
“Only by interest and persistence can we finally reach the desired shore,” he said.