On June 16, 2023, Professor Hongbin Han from Peking University, delivered a lecture titled "Exploration Techniques and Applications of Extracellular Space in Brain Cells" at the Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University. Professor Han was invited by Professor Baiying Lei from the School of Biomedical Engineering of Shenzhen University Medical School, to help mark the 40th anniversary celebration of Shenzhen University. These celebrations involved a series of more than 1,000 academic activities in total, with this event being the 1002nd, and the 78nd lecture of the Shenzhen University Medicine Forum.

To start his lecture, Professor Han introduced the concept of the extracellular space (ECS) in brain cells. He highlighted their key characteristics and explained the initial exploration and technical bottlenecks in the treatment of brain diseases via the ECS. Next, Professor Han detailed three of his own technological innovations involving the ECS. First, he proposed and established magnetic detection technology, which is the only 3D anisotropic detection and analysis technology to dynamically obtain the transport trajectory of ECS molecules. Second, he revealed the mystery of the drainage pathway of interstitial fluid in ECS. Third, he tackled the problem of non-invasive detection and established a new theory of neural regulation. Professor Han then discussed the future research and translational prospects of this work, such as in XXX developmental aging and cognition, permitting neural regulation, guiding new drug development, and diagnosing and even treating certain brain diseases through the ECS pathway. Finally, Professor Han answered numerous questions, including those on the close relationship between brain ECS molecule transport and neural excitation, which determines sleep patterns, memory formation and perception, and the feasibility leveraging the ECS pathway to treat brain diseases. The audience were delighted to learn of Professor Han’s numerous research achievements and his planned future work.

Brief introduction of the Speaker

Professor Hongbin Han is a corresponding fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics Life Sciences, member of the National Industry Base Expert Committee; the Honorary President of the Sino-German Translational Medicine Association; Director of the Key Laboratory for Quality Control of Medical Imaging Equipment under the National Medical Products Administration; Chairman of the Magnetic Resonance Equipment and Technology Committee at the China Association for Medical Devices Industry; Dean of the Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center; Professor of Radiology at Peking University Third Hospital; and Chairman of the Academic Committee of the Hebei International Joint Research Center for Medical Engineering.

Professor Baiying Lei presented Professor Hongbin Han with the "Shenzhen University Medicine Forum" Honorary Medal