In late April 2025, Prof. Rebecca Bahn, an internationally renowned thyroid specialist from the Department of Endocrinology at Mayo Clinic, was invited to the Department of Endocrinology for a five-day academic exchange and guidance session. Prof. Bahn is a medical professor and honorary consultant in Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Nutrition at Mayo Clinic. She has long been dedicated to research on the pathogenesis of Graves' disease and its associated ophthalmopathy, as well as the development of novel treatment strategies. With over 150 high-impact publications in top-tier international journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Ophthalmology, and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, she holds significant influence in the global fields of endocrinology and thyroid eye disease.

Since 2022, Prof. Bahn has provided ongoing remote guidance and regular academic exchanges to support the research efforts of our Department of Endocrinology via online platforms. This visit marks her second on-site engagement, following her first in-person exchange in April last year, signaling a further deepening of collaboration between both parties. During her stay, Prof. Bahn engaged in extensive academic interactions with healthcare professionals at all levels, resident trainees, graduate students, and visiting scholars in the Department of Endocrinology through various formats, including academic lectures, on-site guidance, and group discussions. She briefly shared advanced practices in diagnosis, treatment, and management at Mayo Clinic, with a focus on the latest research developments and treatment strategies for Graves' ophthalmopathy. She also provided detailed answers to clinical and research questions raised by participants. In addition, Prof. Bahn held in-depth discussions with Chief Physician Dr. Guan Haixia, Deputy Chief Physician Dr. Lai Shuiqing, Resident Physician Dr. Fu Jinrong, and Dr. Cao Huanyi regarding their ongoing research projects and academic manuscripts. She offered specific guidance and revision suggestions on study design, data analysis, and writing structure. Throughout the exchange, Prof. Bahn expressed strong appreciation for the academic achievements made by the Department of Endocrinology in recent years and looks forward to further strengthening collaboration.

This visit not only enhanced the hospital’s connection with a world-leading endocrine academic institution but also significantly boosted the academic expertise and international influence of the Department of Endocrinology in the field of thyroid disease research. Moving forward, the department will continue to deepen collaboration with Prof. Bahn and her team, further advancing international research development and providing solid support for improving clinical diagnosis and treatment standards.

Under the leadership of Chief Physicians Dr. Kuang Jian and Dr. Guan Haixia, the Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, has secured six National Natural Science Foundation projects over the past four years. Breakthrough accomplishments also include undertaking one national key research and development program and one major science and technology project.  published Multiple influential papers in high-impact journals have pubulished, such as JAMA Network Open, Nature Communications, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, and Molecular Therapy.

Gao Rili, Chen Zhijiang

Updated: May 16, 2025