Dr. Li Junmin | Through Three Eras, Marching On;Toward Tomorrow, Legacy Unfading.
Li Junmin, MD
Chief Physician, PhD Supervisor
Current Positions:
Deputy Director, Ruijin Hospital Wuxi Branch
Director, Center for Complex Case Consultation, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Deputy Director, Shanghai Institute of Hematology
Chairman, Shanghai Ruijin Hematology Medical Consortium
Professional Focus:
Dr. Li has long been dedicated to the clinical management of hematologic malignancies and pioneering novel immunotherapies.
Key Professional Affiliations:
Vice President, Hematology Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association
President, Hematology Branch, Chinese Geriatric Society
Vice President, Hematology Branch, China Association for the Promotion of Medical Science
Chairman, Shanghai Committee for Hematologic Oncology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
Lead Scientist, National Key Research Program on Tumor mRNA Vaccines (Ministry of Science and Technology)
Research Interests:
Precision therapy, immunotherapy, and cancer vaccine development for hematologic malignancies.
Clinical Expertise:
Diagnosis and treatment of hematologic malignancies (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma) and hematologic immune disorders.
Preface
“Academician Wang Zhenyi, the founding pioneer of the Department of Hematology at Ruijin Hospital, once famously said, ‘One should have the ambition to strive, blooming as passionately as a peony, yet remain indifferent to fame and gain.’ These words truly embody the soul of our department.” When speaking of his mentor, Li Junmin is filled with reverence and nostalgia.
Upon first meeting Li Junmin, one is immediately struck by his resolute, humble, unpretentious, and down-to-earth demeanor. He emphasizes that the greatest legacy of Ruijin Hospital’s hematology department lies in its decades-long inheritance of both intellectual rigor and ethical values. To this day, this legacy remains unchanged, deeply rooted in the hearts of every physician in the department. Over three generations, the department has become a national pioneer in hematology, yet its original mission remains steadfast.
"Through three generations of development, Ruijin Hospital has established a robust system for cultivating hematology talent. Academician Wang Zhenyi, as the founder and leading figure of the department, laid a solid foundation for its growth. In its early days, the team consisted of only six physicians, yet this small but elite group formed the first generation of Ruijin hematologists. Academician Wang drove the department’s advancement through extensive clinical practice and research, guided by his profound academic expertise and exceptional clinical acumen. He prioritized mentoring younger colleagues, imparting his knowledge and fostering outstanding medical talents, ensuring the transmission of the department’s ethos across generations.
The second generation, represented by Chen Zhu and Chen Saijuan, inherited their predecessors’ wisdom and courage, upholding the department’s legacy of excellence. With relentless passion and conviction, they dedicated themselves to the treatment and research of hematologic diseases, pushing the boundaries of medicine. Their mastery and innovation saved countless lives, offering patients renewed hope. Combining deep expertise with clinical experience, they tailored optimal treatment strategies while achieving academic milestones. They published groundbreaking research in domestic and international journals, secured major scientific accolades, and actively engaged in global collaborations, sharing insights and advancing the field.
Today, the third generation of Ruijin hematologists has emerged as the backbone of the discipline, embracing the dual mission of preserving tradition and driving innovation. They pursue higher standards, propel the field forward, and etch the name of Ruijin’s hematology department into the annals of medical history through intellect, diligence, and unwavering dedication."
1.A Life of Passion, Bonded with Ruijin
Li Junmin’s connection to hematology began with an elective course during his studies at Suzhou Medical College. It was there that Academician Ruan Changgeng captivated students with vivid descriptions of the field’s development and future, guiding them into the vast ocean of hematology. Deeply inspired, Li immersed himself in experiments and observations, gradually becoming enthralled by the mysteries of blood science.
Upon graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Li set his sights on Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, determined to pursue graduate studies in what he considered China’s finest hematology program. He believed this path would allow him to explore hematologic diseases with greater focus and ultimately serve more patients. Perseverance paid off: Li excelled in the entrance exams and earned a place as a graduate student under Academician Wang Zhenyi, who had already established Ruijin’s hematology department as a national leader.
Yet Wang offered unexpected advice to the eager newcomer. Instead of diving straight into research, he urged Li to delay formal graduate studies and prioritize clinical practice to accumulate hands-on experience. This unconventional guidance reflected Wang’s philosophy of tailoring education to individual needs. Thus, in 1987, Li began his medical career at Ruijin Hospital two years earlier than planned.
Early years at Ruijin revealed the department’s formidable strength. In 1988, the team published a groundbreaking paper in Blood, which garnered widespread acclaim and became the most-cited article of the year, eventually accumulating 1,713 citations by May 2009. It was later enshrined in Landmark Papers in 20th-Century Hematology, a compilation of 86 seminal global studies. Though Li had not yet led his own experiments, he seized every opportunity to assist in research and clinical work.
Clinical immersion not only honed Li’s skills but deepened his empathy. “I grew to truly understand patients’ pain and hopes,” he reflected. “Curing illness became a simple yet profound mission.” Far from his family in Xinjiang and lacking local connections, Li found solace in Wang’s mentorship. “Academician Wang often invited me to spend holidays at his home, treating me like family. We discussed hematology, shared life stories, and even his work as a National People’s Congress delegate focused on public health. His warmth shaped the entire department’s culture—a ‘soft power’ of compassion that remains central to Ruijin’s ethos.”
In September 1989, after two years of clinical training, Li finally began his master’s program. Though he longed to live on campus at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Wang insisted he stay at Ruijin’s dormitory to balance research and hospital duties. “It was demanding—juggling clinical work, literature reviews, and thesis preparation—but this discipline forged my academic foundation,” Li recalled. “While I missed the typical graduate student experience, contributing to the department’s growth made every sacrifice worthwhile.”
Years of dual rigor—clinical excellence and research innovation—transformed Li into a seasoned physician-scientist. By integrating bedside insights with laboratory inquiry, he built a robust expertise that would later define his career. “Academician Wang taught me that true progress in medicine demands both intellectual ambition and humanistic warmth,” Li noted. “This legacy continues to drive Ruijin Hematology forward.”
2、Pioneering Spirit: Early Breakthroughs at Ruijin
The hematology subspecialty at Ruijin Hospital traces its origins to the 1950s and has since remained at the forefront of both domestic and global advancements. As the department evolved, it branched into two key areas: coagulation disorders and leukemia. Li Junmin initially focused on coagulation disorders, researching and treating blood-related clotting diseases.
By the late 1980s, breakthroughs in megakaryocyte culture technology emerged in France. At the time, the prevailing view held that megakaryocytes in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) patients were merely compensatory—not inherently abnormal. However, Li’s meticulous research uncovered distinct abnormalities in megakaryocytes of chronic ITP patients, challenging established dogma. Uncertain whether to pursue this controversial finding, he sought guidance from Academician Wang Zhenyi, who responded with unwavering support: “This is a remarkable discovery. It could reshape our understanding of ITP. Keep going.”
Bolstered by Wang’s mentorship, Li spent years validating his hypothesis. Between 1994 and 1995, he published two landmark papers in the Chinese Journal of Hematology, proposing intrinsic megakaryocyte defects in ITP patients—a groundbreaking claim that predated international recognition by five years. His work didn’t stop there. Collaborating with Professor Shen Zhixiang, Li explored heparin’s paradoxical role in managing ITP-related bleeding. Their 1996 paper in The Lancet marked Ruijin Hospital’s debut in the prestigious journal, cementing its global reputation.
Pioneering geriatric leukemia care. As China’s population aged, Li shifted focus to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in elderly patients, a group plagued by comorbidities and poor chemotherapy tolerance. To address the lack of objective assessment tools, his team developed a self-developed chemotherapy tolerance prediction system—now used across 120 clinical centers nationwide. This innovation enables tailored treatment plans, balancing efficacy and safety for over 1,000 elderly patients to date.
In 2015, Li’s team revolutionized induction therapy by leveraging flow cytometry to track residual leukemia cells in peripheral blood. By day 5 of chemotherapy, clinicians could predict treatment response with >90% accuracy, allowing dose adjustments to minimize toxicity. For high-risk patients failing initial therapy, Li integrated homoharringtonine—a compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine—into induction regimens. The integrated Chinese-Western medicine approaches exemplifies Ruijin’s innovative ethos.
Legacy of collaboration. From ITP mechanisms to AML protocols, Li’s work has bridged research and clinical practice. His team’s guidelines and predictive models are now staples in hematology, empowering clinicians nationwide. “Our goal,” Li reflects, “is to turn scientific insight into tangible hope—one patient at a time.”
3. Inclusive Vision: Global Equanimity
Over his 35-year medical career, Li Junmin pursued research and training at renowned institutions in France and the U.S., where he gained profound insights into the critical role of clinical trials in hematology. He was struck by the fact that 95% of hematology patients at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the U.S. participated in clinical trials—a model that standardized treatments and ensured uniformity and consistency in therapeutic outcomes.
In 2012, when Li assumed the role of Director of the Department of Hematology at Ruijin Hospital, he articulated the department’s vision during strategic discussions: “Leukemia treatment is Ruijin’s hallmark. We must systematize its legacy, elevate its impact, and embrace inclusivity to integrate global advancements.” In the early 2000s, Ruijin’s hematology team pioneered the “Shanghai Protocol” for treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), marking an international milestone and establishing China’s leadership in the field.
“Our mission is to lead the advancement of hematology in China,” Li emphasized. “This requires not only clinical excellence but also rigorous integration of research into practice, fostering synergy among clinical care, education, and innovation. Reforming clinical models—such as stratified, needs-based treatment in specialized wards—is essential.”
Upon returning to China, Li spearheaded the standardization of hematologic diagnosis and treatment, introducing stratified therapy protocols to grassroots hospitals to eliminate inconsistent practices. He viewed pre-treatment assessment and protocol adherence as foundational to effective care.
“Personalized treatment is not merely about individual cases,” he explained. “It demands stratified research based on standardized protocols, tailored to specific patient subgroups, to achieve true precision.”
For Li, precision extended beyond methodology to infrastructure. In 2013, he established the world’s first “10,000-Class Clean Ward” at Ruijin, utilizing plasma air purification technology to create a particle-free, sterile environment. This innovation drastically reduced infection and mortality risks for critically ill patients. Five years later, he launched China’s inaugural intelligent positive/negative pressure bio-clean ward, which employed plasma disinfection and air pressure controls to combat pathogens. The ward—adaptable to existing facilities—provided high-standard isolation for bone marrow transplant patients and supported research for the National Translational Medicine Center.
Li also championed clinical trial standardization. In 2017, he founded China’s first translational medicine ward to accelerate the clinical application of research breakthroughs. This unit collects comprehensive patient data and develops safety monitoring systems, enabling cutting-edge international studies.
His “Five Refinements” model—precise detection, precision treatment, sophisticated facilities, meticulous care, and fine-grained management—earned a nomination for the 3rd China Quality Award. Central to this framework is precise disease detection, the cornerstone of his team’s innovations in myeloid malignancies.
The Hematology Translational Medicine Research and Innovation Team at Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine—led by Academician Chen Saijuan, Academician Chen Zhu, and Professor Zhao Weili—has achieved groundbreaking innovation in differentiation therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). They developed the revolutionary “Shanghai Protocol” for APL treatment, transforming it from the deadliest leukemia into the first curable acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Building on this success, the team expanded the concept of synergistic targeted therapy, achieving breakthroughs in treating myeloma, lymphoma, and other hematologic malignancies and genetic disorders. Today, the team has established a globally influential translational medicine research center, poised to elevate China’s hematology translational research to internationally leading and cutting-edge levels.
4. Standardizing Basic Care for Efficient Treatment
Li Junmin firmly believes that elevating the standards of grassroots hospitals is equally critical. This requires not only standardizing clinical research achievements from top-tier institutions but also ensuring that local hospitals “strictly implement protocols, guarantee dosage accuracy, adhere to diagnostic norms, and deliver uncompromised care.”
In March 2016, Li founded the Ruijin Hematology Medical Consortium in Shanghai, integrating extensive healthcare resources to facilitate resource sharing, tiered diagnosis and treatment, and cross-institutional collaboration. By partnering with hospitals nationwide, he aims to dismantle geographical barriers, enabling more patients to access homogenized, high-quality care.
Today, the consortium comprises nearly 156 member institutions, collectively offering 8,000 beds nationwide, with over 5,000 beds in the Yangtze River Delta region alone. Li envisions these facilities replicating Ruijin Hospital’s diagnostic precision and quality control systems, transforming the ideal of “expert-level care at county-level hospitals” into reality.
In pursuit of this vision, Li has spearheaded groundbreaking innovations. Evolving from remote consultations to virtual ward rounds, his team harnessed technology to propel medicine into the digital age. During the pandemic, they developed a mobile ward-round robot—a smart terminal enabling real-time interaction, video livestreaming, and secure cross-network data access—to bridge distances between doctors and patients. This device earned acclaim for its role in remote case discussions and safeguarding treatment accuracy.
To optimize outpatient efficiency, Li’s team pioneered an online collaborative clinic model. Led by local physicians, this patient-centric approach fosters interdisciplinary teamwork, resolving complex cases while nurturing professional growth among healthcare providers.
For Li Junmin, the ultimate goal remains clear: to forge a “Ruijin hallmark” symbolizing excellence in hematology. Through relentless dedication to uplifting grassroots care, he strives to ensure that every blood disease patient glimpses hope and experiences the healing power of medical humanity.
5. Pioneering the Future by Honoring the Past
Academician Wang Zhenyi set an exemplary precedent for our department from its very inception, urging us to “boldly hypothesize yet rigorously verify” in our work—a principle that has driven groundbreaking achievements. Now over 100 years old, he remains deeply engaged in the department’s growth and actively explores cutting-edge advancements. His “passion, perseverance, and visionary spirit” continue to inspire. As Li Junmin reflects, it is this ethos that has enabled Ruijin Hospital’s Department of Hematology to achieve breakthroughs across multiple frontiers.
Notably, the hospital’s talent development system relies not merely on external recruitment but prioritizes internal cultivation and retention. Hematology, as a unique and critical discipline, exemplifies Ruijin’s robust capacity for nurturing talent. Through sustained advancements in research, clinical practice, and education, the department has created expansive opportunities for medical professionals. Today, the “third generation of Ruijin hematologists” is propelling the discipline into a new era, achieving remarkable milestones in both research and patient care.
“In the beginning, our department had only six members and limited resources,” recalls Li. “During the 1990s, we shared 40 beds with the nephrology department. With a small team and cramped space, we operated like guerrillas, seeking footholds for growth. We temporarily relocated to the hospital’s history museum, then to Luwan District Central Hospital—a period marked by hardship yet filled with purpose.”
These early struggles forged the department’s legendary resilience. What began as a six-member team, “like a budding flower quietly blossoming with hope,” navigated shortages and uncertainty with unyielding conviction. Through relocations—from the history museum to municipal hospitals—the department endured, its vitality undimmed. Now spanning three floors (18th, 19th, and 20th) at Ruijin Hospital and staffed by over 60 members, it radiates enduring glory. Renowned for its elite team, cutting-edge technology, and pioneering research, the department has earned global acclaim as a leader in hematology.
This legacy owes much to the unwavering support of predecessors and hospital leadership, whose guidance “lit the path forward, helping us grow through adversity.” Looking ahead, the department will deepen its research and refine its expertise to bring hope to blood disease patients. A new generation of clinicians and researchers, “armed with youthful courage and innovative thinking,” is poised to inject fresh vitality, driving the discipline to unprecedented heights.
In Li Junmin’s eyes, the vitality of Ruijin’s hematology department embodies a profound beauty—a beauty of relentless progress, like a towering tree reaching skyward, its roots anchored in innovation, its branches guarding the river of life. Under its stewardship, China’s hematology field strides toward a golden era—an unceasing dance of exploration, glowing eternally in the currents of time.
Origin: https://shanghaidoctor.cn/engouji/265.html
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