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Dr. Zhu Shujie, Deputy Director of the Group’s Pharmaceutical Research Institute: Blooming with Youthful Brilliance on the Front Lines of Scientific Innovation

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发布时间：2022-05-17

【概要描述】 In June 2019, Zhu Shujie, a young man from Handan, embarked on a new chapter in Shijiazhuang after graduating with a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen, carrying with him high hopes and aspirations.

Dr. Zhu Shujie, Deputy Director of the Group’s Pharmaceutical Research Institute: Blooming with Youthful Brilliance on the Front Lines of Scientific Innovation

In June 2019, Zhu Shujie, a young man from Handan, embarked on a new chapter in Shijiazhuang after graduating with a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen, carrying with him high hopes and aspirations.

“From South China University of Technology to the University of Copenhagen, many classmates and alumni have chosen to work in first-tier cities both at home and abroad. Having studied all the way and now working and living in Shijiazhuang, have you ever regretted it?” “Haha, these days a lot of my classmates still quite envy me for working in Shijiazhuang!” On May 11, when interviewed by a reporter, this young intellectual—of medium height, wearing glasses, and speaking with boundless energy—exuded maturity and confidence in his bright, piercing eyes.

At the end of 2019, Dr. Zhu Shujie returned to China after completing his doctoral studies and took up a position as an API researcher at the Shijiazhuang No. 4 Pharmaceutical Research Institute.

“I feel quite fortunate to be timing my work just as Shijiazhuang is making a major push to develop its biopharmaceutical industry,” he told reporters with satisfaction. Last year, the city unveiled a plan to build a biopharmaceutical industrial cluster worth hundreds of billions of yuan and achieve breakthroughs ahead of others. In response, relevant departments swiftly rolled out a series of pragmatic and effective policies, under which the API research team he leads secured substantial funding for innovation. Even more exciting, both the company and the city have now set higher strategic goals and a more prominent positioning for his specialized API R&D initiative, bolstering his confidence and resolve as he moves forward.

“A favorable environment and supportive policies foster a positive atmosphere, driving both individual enterprises and the industry as a whole to accelerate development. This sense of urgency and collective momentum has enabled me to find a profound sense of mission, fulfillment, and accomplishment in my beloved field.”

“Right now, I wear many hats and carry a heavy burden, leading several API development projects. My responsibilities include not only ensuring the industrialization of new products through rigorous technical oversight but also assisting production workshops in addressing practical challenges such as improving product yields. Almost every day, my routine revolves around a ‘three-point line’—the lab, the workshop, and the dormitory—with all my focus squarely on solving problems and overcoming tough obstacles,” he said. “Scientific research results are earned through hard work; you can’t produce meaningful outcomes by simply staying in the office. Doing research is inherently demanding—it requires enduring hardship and pushing yourself to the limit.”

In the latter half of last year, in order to address the lengthy carbon-removal filtration process in the chemical processing stage for Product A, he plunged headfirst into the workshop, meticulously examining the process, documenting his observations, and probing the root causes until the problem was resolved. He emphasizes that R&D and industrialization constitute an integrated value chain: the more thoroughly issues are resolved during technology transfer, the greater the assurance of product quality. Today, he mandates that his research team dedicate one week each month to immersing themselves in frontline production to tackle real-world problems, making it an essential requirement for them to ground their research papers in actual production settings.

“It is a true privilege to be able to apply one’s talents to the development of an enterprise; R&D personnel eagerly anticipate that the成果 they have painstakingly developed will soon deliver value to both the company and society.” What brings him the greatest satisfaction, however, are the achievements his colleagues and he have attained since last year. He says with pride that last year the Fourth Pharmaceutical Research Institute secured 32 national approvals for the production of various pharmaceutical products, including six distinctive active pharmaceutical ingredients, and currently has no fewer than 200 formulations and APIs in development or awaiting approval.

What excites Dr. Zhu Shujie even more is that “our products leverage cutting-edge domestic crystal-form-control technology, enabling precise and flexible manipulation of key quality attributes such as particle size, bulk density, and flowability—performance that ranks among the best in the industry and effectively meets the diverse needs of high-end customers in Europe and North America. Thanks to these technological innovations, our active pharmaceutical ingredients have won widespread market acclaim, becoming highly sought-after commodities in the international premium segment, with monthly sales revenue exceeding RMB 100 million and serving as a major growth driver for the company’s development.” Last year, the research team he leads harnessed advanced processes and equipment—including continuous-flow microreactors, continuous crystallization technologies, and intelligent manufacturing—to overcome numerous common and critical technical challenges that had previously constrained the yield and quality of specialty APIs. As a result, both technical performance and quality metrics improved markedly, bringing product quality on par with industry-leading standards. The team also secured 18 patent achievements, helping the company successfully earn its place among the national demonstration enterprises recognized for their specialization, refinement, distinctiveness, and innovation.

“The constant stream of new projects keeps me incredibly busy with both new-product research and the industrialization efforts I’m responsible for, but this very industry and work environment is exactly what I’ve been hoping for.”

The remarkable transformation of Shijiazhuang’s industries has filled young science and technology professionals with hope and aspiration for the future. Today, Dr. Zhu Shujie has deeply integrated his career and personal life into his second hometown. He emphasizes that Shijiazhuang—and the Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical Group, where he works—provide exceptional opportunities and a broad platform for talent development and professional fulfillment. He is committed to placing innovation at the core of his work: pursuing genuine scholarship, honing practical skills, staying at the forefront of research and production, and growing through hard work. By delivering new breakthroughs through innovation and creativity, he aims to contribute as a young science and technology professional in the new era to building Shijiazhuang’s biopharmaceutical industry cluster worth hundreds of billions of yuan and achieving pioneering breakthroughs, thus living up to the promise of youth.

Reprinted from: Shijiazhuang Daily

Keywords:

Deepening Our Commitment to the Pharmaceutical Industry and Increasing Investment in Technology — An Interview with Sun Lijie, Executive President and General Manager of the R&D Center at Shijiazhuang Sihua Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

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