Exploring pathways for promoting scientific and technological innovation in traditional Chinese medicine through national key laboratories

This study aimed to explore pathways for addressing key challenges in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including barriers to interdisciplinary integration, technical problems in analyzing the effects of TCM, imperfect mechanisms for industry–academia–research collaboration, and low levels of international academic exchange and cooperation. Addressing these challenges can help advance the inheritance and innovation of TCM, accelerate the construction of a healthy China, elucidate the mechanisms of action of TCM using modern science and technology, transform TCM from “folk remedies” into global health solutions, and construct a global community of health for all.

The development status of nine national key laboratories in the field of TCM was evaluated through literature review and inductive analysis. Feasible pathways for promoting scientific and technological innovation in TCM were explored. As national-level scientific research and innovation platforms, national key laboratories possess advanced research facilities, innovative technologies, and interdisciplinary integration capabilities, enabling them to provide crucial support for solving this problem.

In March 2023, Jiangsu Kangyuan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine restructured the National Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacturing Technology. Following its reorganization, the laboratory improved its research, development, and manufacturing capabilities through four measures. First, focusing on “discovery of efficacy substances and research on quality attributes of TCM” and “uniformity and intelligent control technology of TCM pharmaceutical manufacturing processes,” it constructed a multidisciplinary research paradigm to enhance original innovation capabilities. Second, focusing on the theory of efficacious substances in TCM, it promoted the shift from extensive to precise control in pharmaceutical manufacturing, facilitated the integration of TCM and Western medicine, and advanced the modernization of TCM principles. Third, focusing on constructing a comprehensive TCM pharmaceutical process control and intelligent manufacturing technology transformation system as a scientific means, it accelerated the implementation and application of innovative TCM drugs. Fourth, recognizing the enhancement of international scientific and technological discourse power as an important mission for the development of TCM, it promoted global dissemination of TCM by establishing pharmaceutical technology standards in mainstream international pharmaceutical markets. These measures provided systematic support for the original innovation of TCM and addressed the challenge of “unclear mechanisms of action,” thereby enhancing the scientific and technological innovation capabilities of laboratories.

Promoting global dissemination of TCM and enhancing its international scientific and technological discourse power are important priorities for the development of TCM. National key laboratories play a crucial role in advancing scientific and technological innovation in TCM. Four measures should be considered: constructing a multidisciplinary research paradigm to enhance original innovation capabilities, organizing key technology breakthroughs to elucidate the mechanisms of action of new TCM drugs and promote the modernization of TCM principles, streamlining the “research–production–application” transformation chain to accelerate the implementation of innovative achievements, and strengthening international scientific and technological discourse power to promote global dissemination of TCM. Through these measures, national key laboratories in the field of TCM can be built into scientific and technological innovation highlands that focus on core scientific issues of TCM and conduct original and pioneering research; platforms for the systematic excavation, collation, and preservation of valuable resources, such as classic TCM literature and the experiences of renowned veteran TCM doctors; hubs for building collaboration between industry, academia, research, and application, thereby accelerating the transformation of scientific research results into clinical applications and industrial value; and international academic bridge connecting global scientific research collaboration networks, thereby promoting cross-border academic dialogue and joint problem-solving.