衰老是肿瘤、心血管、神经系统等疾病最重要的发病及不良预后因素。因衰老带来的疾病目前已成为阻碍社会健康水平提升的关键因素，给经济增长与社会保障带来严峻挑战。深入认识衰老、及早干预衰老进程、有效减少因衰老导致的慢性疾病及提高老年人生活质量已成为现代生物医学研究的重要领域。
Aging is the most important factor in the occurrence and poor prognosis of diseases such as tumors, cardiovascular issues, and nervous system disorders. Diseases caused by aging have now become a critical obstacle to improving the overall level of public health, posing significant challenges to economic growth and social security. A comprehensive understanding of aging, early intervention in the aging process, and effective reduction of age-related chronic diseases to enhance the quality of life for elderly individuals have become essential areas of focus in modern biomedical research.
衰老与肿瘤国际研究中心（International Center for Aging and Cancer, ICAC）聚焦衰老与肿瘤的发生发展规律，开展国际前沿的、原创性的、与人类衰老与肿瘤有关的基础和临床转化研究，以更好地应对衰老与肿瘤带给人类的巨大挑战。我们的研究方向有相辅相成的三个层次：
The International Center for Aging and Cancer (ICAC) focuses on the occurrence and development patterns of aging and cancer. It conducts international cutting-edge, original, and translational research related to human aging and cancer, aiming to better address the significant challenges posed by aging and cancer to humanity. Our research directions are complementary and span three levels:
第一，端口前移、预防肿瘤。90%的肿瘤发生于50岁以上的人，衰老影响肿瘤发生、发展及治疗敏感性的整个过程。控制肿瘤一方面要进一步研究如何有效治疗，另一方面是预防肿瘤。干细胞衰老及体细胞基因突变是机体衰老的重要机制。随着衰老的进程，正常干细胞增殖减缓，同时干细胞随年龄增长积累大量基因突变，而有某些基因突变的干细胞及下游分化细胞获得增殖优势，称为克隆增生。越来越多的研究表明，克隆增生是衰老的标志之一，在各组织器官中广泛存在；而克隆增生是多数肿瘤的起始，深入认识克隆增生、有效干预克隆增生可预防肿瘤及相关疾病的发生发展。ICAC将研究以血液细胞克隆增生，即克隆造血，为代表的体细胞克隆增生的机制、精准诊断、风险评估及干预，为有效预防肿瘤做出贡献。
Firstly, moving the focus to the early stages and preventing tumors. 90% of tumors occur in individuals over the age of 50, and aging affects the entire process of tumor occurrence, development, and sensitivity to treatment. Controlling tumors involves two aspects: further research on effective treatments and tumor prevention. Stem cell aging and somatic cell gene mutations are crucial mechanisms in the process of aging. As aging progresses, the proliferation of normal stem cells slows down, and at the same time, stem cells accumulate a large number of gene mutations with age. Some stem cells and their downstream differentiated cells with certain gene mutations gain proliferative advantages, leading to clonal expansion. Increasing evidence suggests that clonal expansion is a hallmark of aging, widely present in various tissues and organs. Moreover, clonal expansion serves as the starting point for many tumors. A deep understanding of clonal expansion and effective intervention can prevent the occurrence and development of tumors and related diseases. ICAC will focus on the study of clonal expansion in blood cells, particularly in the context of clonal hematopoiesis, to explore the mechanisms, precise diagnosis, risk assessment, and interventions related to somatic cell clonal expansion, contributing to effective tumor prevention.
第二，延缓衰老、主动健康。机体衰老是克隆增生的基础，ICAC将开展衰老的系统生物学研究，并基于衰老机制的研究，开展衰老精准检测方法，这对定量评估衰老进程及其逆转程度十分重要，而且对评估衰老相关性疾病的发生风险，制定个性化的治疗方案也非常重要。ICAC将整合时空动态多组学数据，利用系统生物学以及机器学习勾勒出衰老的多维全景调控网络，挖掘并验证关键衰老调控节点，鉴定衰老的新型标志物；建立各种标志物检测分析工具，重点开发高灵敏，高通量，低成本，精确检测蛋白，细胞，基因，分泌小体等衰老与肿瘤相关领域生物标志物的检测技术；进一步研发三维面部图像/人工智能预测生理年龄及个体衰老速率的方法；同时，在衰老精准检测的基础上开展一系列衰老干预的基础及临床转化研究；
Second, delay aging and active health. ICAC will carry out research on the systems biology of aging and carry out precise detection methods for aging based on the study of aging mechanisms, which is important for quantitative assessment of the aging process and its reversal, as well as for assessing the risk of aging-related diseases and formulating personalized treatment plans. ICAC will integrate spatio-temporal dynamic multi-omics data, use systematic biology and machine learning to outline a multidimensional panoramic regulatory network of aging, mine and validate key aging regulatory nodes, and identify novel markers of aging; establish various marker detection and analysis tools, focusing on the development of highly sensitive, high-throughput, low-cost, and accurate detection technologies for proteins, cells, genes, secretory vesicles, and other aging and tumor-related biomarkers; and further develop 3D facial images/anatomical intelligence to predict physiological age and the risk of individual diseases. further develop 3D facial image/artificial intelligence methods to predict physiological age and individual aging rate; at the same time, carry out a series of basic and clinical translational research on aging intervention based on accurate aging detection.
第三，建设全健康生态、打造中国蓝带。双胞胎队列研究显示人的寿命20%决定于基因，80%决定于生活习惯及环境。ICAC将通过环境健康研究、病原微生物检测及感染与衰老的相互影响研究推动海南“全健康”示范区建设；同时与海南康养保健、运动健康、绿色农业、城市规划、医疗旅游等产业有机结合，将海南打造成中国蓝带（“Blue Zone”）、世界健康长寿岛。
Thirdly, building a comprehensive healthy ecosystem and creating a "Chinese Blue Zone." Twin cohort studies have shown that 20% of human longevity is determined by genes, while 80% is influenced by lifestyle and the environment. ICAC will promote the construction of a "Comprehensive Health" demonstration zone in Hainan through research on environmental health, detection of pathogenic microorganisms, and the study of the interactions between infection and aging. Simultaneously, ICAC will organically integrate with industries such as Hainan's healthcare, sports health, green agriculture, urban planning, and medical tourism, aiming to transform Hainan into a "Chinese Blue Zone" and a world-renowned island for health and longevity.
我们将把ICAC建设成衰老、肿瘤及相关疾病研究领域的国际领军科研机构，成为衰老与肿瘤领域的创新高地、人才高地、改革高地和转化高地，为海南医学院高速发展、为海南自贸港及健康长寿岛建设、为健康中国战略目标做出重要贡献.
We aim to develop ICAC into a leading international research institution in the fields of aging, cancer, and related diseases. It will become an innovation hub, a talent magnet, a reform advocate, and a platform for successful translational research in the realms of aging and cancer. Through these efforts, ICAC will play a significant role in the rapid advancement of Hainan Medical University, the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port and the Health Longevity Island, and contribute significantly to the national goal of building a Healthy China.