GUANGZHOU, China  , April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From March 28 to 30, 2026, the 4th International Conference on Single-Cell and Spatial Omics was successfully convened in Beijing. The conference was jointly organized by Macau University of Science and Technology, Chongqing Medical University, the Human Phenome Institute of Fudan University, the Basic Medicine Division of the Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the Single Cell Sequencing Network. Held under the theme “Atlas • AI • Acceleration,” the event brought together world-leading experts, scholars, entrepreneurs, investors, and media representatives in single-cell and spatial omics to exchange perspectives on cutting-edge technologies and emerging trends in the life sciences. Total registrations—spanning in-person attendees in Beijing and participants in the online international forum—surpassed 5,000, reflecting the strong momentum and collaborative spirit of the field.

Professor Xinghua Pan of Macau University of Science and Technology, the founder of the conference, delivered the opening address. Reflecting on the journey of TICSSO, Dr. Pan noted that previous editions have cumulatively drawn more than 15,000 registered participants and over 7,000 in-person attendees across dozens of thematic forums since the inaugural conference in Guangzhou, followed by Shenzhen and Shanghai. “From Guangzhou, to Shenzhen, to Shanghai, and now to Beijing, TICSSO has grown from a vision into a thriving community,” he said. Dr. Pan emphasized that TICSSO’s founding mission remains unchanged: to build an interdisciplinary, cross-sector, and international platform that advances the global single-cell and spatial omics community. “It is our shared commitment to the frontiers of life sciences that has brought together this remarkable community of academia and industry,” he added.

The opening ceremony was officially inaugurated by Academician Xiaoliang Xie (Changping National Laboratory / Peking University), Professor Xinghua Pan (Macau University of Science and Technology), Professor Fuchou Tang (Peking University), Professor Guoji Guo (Zhejiang University), Professor Gang Cao (Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology), Professor Binzhi Qian (Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University), Professor Ge Gao (Peking University), Professor Bing Zhu (Tongji University), and Professor Lan Jiang (National Center for Bioinformation). The conference was honored to have Academician Xiaoliang Xie, Academician Li Jin (Fudan University), and Academician Zemin Zhang (Chongqing Medical University) as honorary chairs.

Academician Xiaoliang Xie of Changping National Laboratory / Peking University delivered a keynote address titled “What Can FOODIE Do for Biology and Medicine.”

The conference also featured nine thematic forums spanning cutting-edge areas including spatiotemporal mapping, single-cell and spatial omics technologies, proteomics and metabolism, spatiotemporal algorithms, development and aging, neuroscience, tumor and immunity, and AI and digitalization, with a total of 64 scientific presentations delivered.

The international forum brought together leading researchers in single-cell and spatial omics from around the world to share the latest advances in the field, underscoring TICSSO’s growing role as a premier platform for international scientific exchange.

Beyond its role as a premier platform for scientific exchange among leading researchers internationally, TICSSO also provides a unique interface for accelerating the translation of breakthrough technologies into products, including innovative reagents and devices, as well as precision diagnostics, therapeutics, and pharmaceutical applications. Dozens of outstanding enterprises in the field were honored with distinctions such as the “Annual Technological Innovation Pioneer Award” for their core innovative technologies and groundbreaking products in single-cell and spatial omics. These accolades highlight the vital role of industry collaboration in driving the field forward.

About the International Conference on Single-Cell and Spatial Omics（TICSSO）

The TICSSO Conference was founded in 2022 by Professor Xinghua Pan of Macau University of Science and Technology, Professor Fuchou Tang of Peking University, and Professor Guoji Guo of Zhejiang University. The founding mission was to establish an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and international platform for exchange. We aim to advance the deep integration of academia and industry, continuously pushing the boundaries of life sciences.

From 2022 to 2026, the conference has accumulated over 20,000 registered participants and 9,574 in-person attendees, with 61 specialized forums held to date.

Several hundred leading scientists who have made remarkable contributions to the field have participated in this grand event, including Qimin Zhan(Peking University), Zemin Zhang(Chongqing Medical University), Bing Ren (New York Genome Center), James Zou (Stanford University), Xiaojie Qiu (Stanford University), Alex Shalek (MIT), Nicholas Navin (MD Anderson Cancer Center), Rong Fan (Yale University), and Hongjie Li (Baylor College of Medicine), among many others. The wealth of academic presentations painted a comprehensive panorama of single-cell and spatial omics development—spanning from industry frontiers to the pinnacles of scientific discovery, and from technological breakthroughs to clinical translation.