From 12–14 May 2026, the Annual Congress of the The Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) was held in Brighton, the United Kingdom. The Department of General Surgery at The First Hospital of Lanzhou University (LZUFH) presented multiple research achievements at the meeting, with one study receiving Third Place in the prestigious BJS Prize (British Journal of Surgery Prize). This was the only award-winning research contribution from China at this year’s congress.

The award-winning study, entitled “Comparative Analysis of Clinicopathological Features, Survival Outcomes, and Molecular Signatures between Adenocarcinoma of the Oesophagogastric Junction and Gastric Adenocarcinoma,” was conducted by the team led by Prof. Yuan Wenzhen. Doctoral candidate Lai Min served as first author, while Dr. Zhang Jianling delivered the presentation during the congress. In addition, the Department of General Surgery showcased a series of collaborative research achievements developed through the hospital’s ongoing partnership with the The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd). The presentations highlighted the department’s expanding international academic engagement, multidisciplinary research capability, and commitment to surgical innovation.Several studies were selected for Short Presentations at the congress, including:

1) Dr. Wang Fanghong’s study:

“Engineered Exosomes from Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells with pPB Modification Attenuate Hepatic Fibrosis via Hepatic Stellate Cell Targeting.”

2) Master candidate Lu Xinglong's study, supervised by Professor Yu Yongjiang:

“Predictive Value of Body Composition Parameters for Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Immunochemotherapy in Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer.”

3) Doctoral candidate Lai Min's study, supervised by Professor Yuan Wenzhen:

“Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Laparoscopic versus Open Distal Gastrectomy for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Markov Model Based on TNM Stage.”

Furthermore, several additional studies by Dr. Ding Fanghui, doctoral candidate Jin Zhuanmei, and Dr. Zhang Jianling were selected for presentation in the Talking Poster sessions.

    The presented studies reflect the department’s continued commitment to translational research aimed at improving surgical outcomes and advancing precision medicine. The breadth of research topics presented at the congress also demonstrated the department’s strengths in gastrointestinal oncology, hepatobiliary disease, translational medicine, surgical outcomes research, and health economics.

   The First Hospital of Lanzhou University has established an “Advanced Overseas Surgical Education Centre” in collaboration with The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Hong Kong College of Surgeons. Through this international academic platform, the hospital continues to promote high-level surgical talent development and the integration of clinical practice with scientific research.The collaborative programme also benefited from academic exchange and presentation guidance from Professor Peng Wong of James Cook University Hospital in areas including manuscript preparation, presentation development, and conference preparation.

   The department’s participation and achievements at this internationally recognised surgical congress further demonstrate the growing academic influence and research capability of The First Hospital of Lanzhou University in the field of surgery and clinical research

Edited by the Office of Foreign Affairs