On September 27, 2020, the National Natural Science Foundation of China announced the review results of the 2020 National Natural Science Foundation’s centralized application projects (the second batch). The number of projects approved in our university exceeded 100 for the first time. A total of 112 projects were funded, with a direct funding of 44.95 million Yuan. Among them, there are 58 general programs and 54 Young Scientists Fund programs. Compared with last year, our university has achieved a leapfrog breakthrough, with an increase of 33.3% in the total number of projects approved, and a 15.61% increase in the funding cost.
The National Natural Science Foundation is one of the main supporting forces of basic research in China, and plays an important guiding, authoritative and exemplary role. Since the beginning of the new century, starting from one project with a funding of 200,000 yuan, the number of the approved National Natural Science Foundation projects of our university has developed from a spark into a thriving and robust trend. This year is the seventeenth consecutive year for us to be the top first in the province. During the extraordinary period of fighting against Covid-19 epidemic with united efforts, and with the decreased total amount of funded programs in the medical field of the National Natural Science Foundation, this achievement is hard-earned. This is a landmark achievement on our university’s way to build the first-class and high-level medical university in China. It is largely attributed to the university’s emancipation of minds, determination to reform, and strong support of relevant policies. It is also a result of all scientific researchers’ concerted effort to overcome difficulties and strive for the first, which reflects the strength and characteristics of our university’s basic research and original innovation.
Taking this breakthrough as a new starting point, our university will make consistent efforts to reform and innovate, fill up vacancies, and further enhance the sense of responsibility and mission to promote scientific and technological innovation. With high-quality scientific research as the driving force, our university will continue to climb the technological peaks bravely, serve the development strategy of the country and Anhui Province better, boost more effectively the construction of domestic first-class and high-level medical universities and achieve a new take-off.