From March 1st to 2nd, 2024, the “13th National Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Academic Conference of the Chinese Medical Association,” hosted by the Chinese Medical Association and organized by the National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases – Peking University Institute of Hematology, was grandly held in Beijing. Many renowned experts and scholars in the field of hematology gathered to share and exchange insights on topics such as the basics and clinical research of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, advancements in transplantation indications, new transplantation modalities, prevention and treatment strategies for transplant complications and relapse, progress in basic research, and transplantation-related clinical trials. During the conference, Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier was honored to invite Professor Qifa Liu from the Department of Hematology at Southern Medical University Nanfang Hospital to conduct in-depth discussions on topics such as “Clinical Research Design and Registration Standards” and standardization of hematologic tumor treatment. The following is a summary of the discussion.
Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier: Your team has published several significant clinical research studies in top international journals. Could you please introduce some of the important research findings?
Professor Qifa Liu : Since 2013, our team has gradually published multiple studies in international journals, including top-tier journals such as JCO and LANCET HAEMATOLOGY, with impact factors (IF) approaching or exceeding 20 points. Most of our team’s research is related to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), which began to be designed and laid out ten years ago and has achieved relatively good results in recent years. Two studies published in the JCO journal mainly explore the selection of allo-HSCT conditioning regimens, while two studies published in the LANCET HAEMATOLOGY journal are respectively about allo-HSCT conditioning regimens and a long-term follow-up randomized controlled trial (RCT) based on previous studies. In summary, our research mainly focuses on the association between allo-HSCT conditioning regimens and disease relapse rate, toxicity reactions, and economic aspects, as well as the combined application of allo-HSCT with novel targeted drugs to maximize therapeutic effects.
Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier: At this conference, you shared insights on the topic of “Clinical Research Design and Registration Standards.” Could you please introduce the standards and techniques for clinical research registration at home and abroad?
Professor Qifa Liu : In recent years, I have had in-depth discussions with domestic counterparts from various perspectives on the topic of “Clinical Research Design and Registration Standards” at multiple conferences. The results show that many medical professionals in China still do not have a thorough understanding of how to design and register clinical research. However, a well-designed clinical research protocol and standardized registration are extremely important for obtaining high-quality clinical research, which undoubtedly also affects the selection and publication of papers in journals. Correct methodology is essential for obtaining convincing clinical research results. For example, the four major medical journals internationally (NEJM, LANCET, JAMA, and BMJ) pay close attention to the methodology and research design adopted by the study during peer review, rather than focusing on the results of the study. In addition, the design of clinical research protocols should be registered after careful consideration. Once registered, any arbitrary changes to the original protocol should be avoided. If modifications are deemed necessary, it is recommended to register a new protocol, which may receive higher acceptance.
Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier: In terms of the treatment of hematologic tumors, what deficiencies do you think currently exist? What are the next research plans for you and your team?
Professor Qifa Liu : Both domestically and internationally, there are still many deficiencies in the treatment of hematologic tumors. The most prominent issue is that many patients with hematologic tumors do not receive standardized treatment, with this proportion even reaching up to 50%. Taking patients with acute leukemia (AL) as an example, some AL patients must undergo allo-HSCT for a chance of cure, but in reality, due to various reasons, they only receive chemotherapy, with very unsatisfactory efficacy. Therefore, the implementation of standardized treatment for hematologic tumors still has a long way to go. Speaking of the next research plans for our team, we will explore and dig into new treatment targets based on a clinical research cohort of over 5,000 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) established over the past decade, thereby promoting the individualization and precision of AML treatment. This may be one of the key directions our team will focus on in the next 3 to 5 years.
Professor Qifa Liu
Dean of the Institute of Hematology, Southern Medical University; Director of the Hematology Research Institute; Lifetime Professor and Academic Leader of the Hematology Department at Southern Hospital; Deputy Director of the Beijing Ludaopei Hematology Research Institute; Professor, Chief Physician, and Doctoral Supervisor.
Member of the Asia-Pacific Hematology Society; Deputy Director of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; Leader of the Infection Group of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; Vice President of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society; Deputy Director of the Cell Research and Treatment Branch of the Chinese Research Hospital Association; Standing Committee Member of the Hematology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; Director of the Hematology Branch of the Guangdong Medical Association; and Deputy Director of the Cell Therapy Society of Guangdong Province.
Since graduating from university in 1983, he has been engaged in the diagnosis, treatment, and related basic research of hematologic tumors. He was a visiting researcher at the Tokyo Jichi Medical University in Japan, conducting leukemia molecular biology research.
He has made significant achievements in the molecular pathogenesis of leukemia, tumor immunotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and the prevention and treatment of infections in immunocompromised populations.
He has presided over 3 national key R&D programs, 3 863 programs, 10 national natural science projects including major/key projects, and more than 20 provincial and ministerial-level projects. His research achievements have won 1 second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, 3 first prizes and 5 second prizes at the provincial and ministerial levels. He has published over 300 papers in domestic and international core journals, including more than 250 papers in SCI journals such as NCB, STTT, Lancet Oncol/Haematol, JCO, PNAS, Blood, JHO, and Leukemia.
