Some of the attendees pose for a group photo after the ceremony on Dec 20. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The 5th VCANBIO Award for Biosciences and Medicine Ceremony and Summit Forum (2020 VABM) was held on Dec 20 in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone -- also known as Optics Valley of China -- in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province.

A total of 13 Chinese and foreign scientists won awards at the event.

The ceremony and summit forum was held in Wuhan for the first time, aiming to honor medical workers and scientific and technological workers who are fighting in the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It attracted the participation of authoritative experts and showcased cutting-edge results.

At the ceremony, Robert C. Gallo -- member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States and director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine -- was awarded an international cooperation award.

Wang Yongjun, president of Beijing Tiantan Hospital at Capital Medical University and Tian Zhigang, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Institute of Immunology at the University of Science and Technology of China, were awarded achievement awards.

The other 10 scientists received innovation awards.

At the same time, the VABM youth scientist alliance was launched at the ceremony, which is jointly sponsored by 50 young scientists who won awards in previous years. It will be developed as a new platform for innovation, development and academic exchanges between young talents.

The VABM award was jointly established by the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and VCANBIO in September 2016.

It has become one of the most authoritative and influential awards in the field of biomedicines in China. During the first four years, 53 Chinese and foreign scientists have won the award.