SACRAMENTO, the United States, March 1 (Xinhua) -- California has named the fourth Tuesday of February each year as "Regenerative Medicine Day" to raise public awareness and pay respect to the late Chinese doctor Rongxiang Xu for his contributions in advancing regenerative medical research.
The International Society of Regenerative Medicine and Wound Repair was formally established on Tuesday afternoon in the State Capitol of the State of California in Sacramento.
"We try to find out the future of regenerative medicine, pave the ways for hundreds and thousands of doctors, and light up the hope for countless patients who need the power of regeneration from them to continue their journey of life, " said Kevin Xu, the founder of the International Society for Regenerative Medicine and Wound Repair and son of Dr. Rongxiang Xu.
Dozens of state lawmakers, leaders, doctors and experts gathered together in the State Capitol of California on Tuesday to explore the challenges and prospects for regenerative medicine and its application with an aim to raise the public awareness of this cutting-edge scientific field.
Elliot Chaikof, Professor of Surgery at the Harvard Medical Center and Surgeon-in-Chief at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, shared the current situation of regenerative research around the world. Though regenerative medicine represents a new hope for human health, the public lacks understanding of this scientific field. And the support from the government and the society is far from enough.
He praised the late Chinese doctor Rongxiang Xu for his research and dedication in Regenerative Medicine. Chaikof shared that his two daughters also have congenital diseases and he hopes the development of regenerative medicine will help the people like his two daughters.
At the meeting, both parliamentarians and experts paid tribute and gratitude to Professor Rongxiang Xu and his wife, Dr. Li Li, the chairman of the Rongxiang Xu Foundation, for the development of regenerative medicine and for the benefit of many patients.
Ben Allen, the Chair of the Senate Education Committee also proposed to set up the California Council of Regenerative Medicine in California to promote public awareness of regenerative medicine and promote California's leadership in this area.
Anthony Rendon, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Philip Chen, the deputy minority whip of the State Assembly, and several other legislative leaders attended the meeting and voiced their support for stem cell research and regenerative therapy.
According to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in the fall of 2015, the Department of Surgery received a major gift from the National Rongxiang Xu Foundation. The remarkably generous gift enabled the establishment of the Rongxiang Xu, MD Professorship of Surgery in the Field of Regenerative Therapeutics at Harvard Medical School, and the formation of the Rongxiang Xu, MD, Center for Regenerative Therapeutics through an endowment fund.
The late Rongxiang Xu, MD (1958-2015), graduated from the Qingdao Medical College in China. Trained as a surgeon, Dr. Xu witnessed the pain and scarring of burn patients treated with conventional therapy and was determined to discover a more effective, less painful approach. He developed a new therapy for burns that helped to restore the physiological structure and function of the skin and other tissues, thereby dramatically reducing pain, illness, and death.
Through years of studies, Dr. Xu and his research team revealed important new fundamental principles for regenerating adult tissue and organs, translating this knowledge into novel topical therapies. Dr. Xu's significant contributions saved lives, revolutionized wound therapy, and dramatically improved the quality of life for countless patients around the world.
