On October 28, 2024, the Nature Index updated its latest annual global rankings. Among all ophthalmology institutions worldwide, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC) of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) ranked first in the world in both the Health Sciences and Biological Sciences fields!
A Century-Long Journey Originating from Ophthalmology: SYSU's Medical Evolution Witnesses the History of Western Medicine in China
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is not only a significant birthplace of the Maritime Silk Road but also a central hub for the exchange, interaction, and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations, fostering a cultural ethos that champions innovation and dares to be pioneers. In 1835, American doctor Peter Parker founded the Ophthalmic Hospital in Guangzhou, pioneering modern Western medicine in China. This Ophthalmic Hospital later developed into the Canton Hospital, China's first Western medical institution, which also laid the foundation for medical education at Sun Yat-sen University. In 1965, the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Zhongshan Medical College – the first university-affiliated eye hospital in China – was established. In 1983, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center was founded, becoming China's first modern multi-functional ophthalmic center integrating medical care, teaching, scientific research, and blindness prevention and treatment.
Through nearly two centuries’ legacy, the disciplines related to medicine and health at Sun Yat-sen University have consistently remained in China's "first tier". Basic Medicine, Clinical Medicine, and Pharmacy have all been selected as national "Double First-Class" construction disciplines, highlighting their leading domestic status. In the 2024 Scimago Institutions Rankings (SIR), the overall strength of SYSU's medical disciplines ranked 36th globally. Looking back on its century of development, SYSU's medical disciplines, with their profound historical heritage, exceptional educational strength, and abundant scientific research achievements, shine ever more brilliantly through the accumulation of the university's hundred-year history.
A Tribute to the 100th Anniversary of SYSU: ZOC Ranks First Globally in Ophthalmology in Nature Index
Currently, there are many evaluation systems for scientific and technological work domestically and internationally. Among them, the Nature Index is a key indicator measuring high-quality research output and collaboration in the natural sciences for institutions, countries, and regions, wielding significant influence globally.
In 2024, the Nature Index released its latest annual global rankings (2023-2024). Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University ranked first in the world among all ophthalmology institutions in both the Health Sciences (Table 1) and Biological Sciences (Table 2) fields!
Table 1: Top 3 Global Ophthalmic Institutions in Health Sciences (Latest Nature Index)
Table 2: Top 3 Global Ophthalmic Institutions in Biological Sciences (Latest Nature Index)
As the home of the sole State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology in China, the only World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in the field of ophthalmology in China, and the only location of headquarters of international medical academic organizations in China (the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the Asia-Africa Academy of Ophthalmology Asian Office), Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, representing the highest level of ophthalmology in China, has once again demonstrated China's outstanding achievements and leading role in the global ophthalmic field on the international stage!
For many years, ZOC has consistently regarded the protection of people's eye health as its mission. Focusing on major national needs and frontiers in eye disease prevention and treatment, it continuously tackles key cutting-edge issues in the field of eye health, and diligently works on the innovation, application, and practice of ophthalmic diagnosis and treatment technologies. In recent years, it has achieved a series of groundbreaking results in areas such as the etiology and pathogenesis of refractory eye diseases, stem cell applications in ophthalmology, myopia prevention and control, artificial intelligence in ophthalmology, glaucoma prevention and treatment, ocular tumor therapy, and new drug development. Over the past year, many original scientific research achievements from ZOC have been published in top-tier international journals such as Cell, JAMA, BMJ, and Nature Medicine.
Further Reading – Introduction to the Nature Index System
The Nature Index is a comprehensive indicator designed to evaluate high-quality scientific research globally, establishing a "multi-dimensional coordinate system" for scientific research achievements spanning regions and disciplines. The Index uses a select group of 145 top-tier international academic journals across various disciplines (such as Nature, Science, Cell series), chosen by independent, leading experts, as its source for statistics. It conducts rankings based on the number and type of articles published by research institutions. The output is measured by the Count and the Share of articles published in these top journals by institutions, countries, or regions, reflecting their research output. The rankings are updated regularly, releasing data from the most recent twelve months.
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University began to be listed as an assessed institution in the Nature Index in 2023; this year marks the first time it has received individual ranking data.
Count: Refers to one point for each author's affiliated institution, country, or region for an article, regardless of whether it has one or multiple authors.
Share: Refers to a fractional counting method that considers the number and proportion of author affiliations to calculate each author's contribution to a paper. For example, an article has a total value of 1.0; by default, authors contribute equally, and the value is distributed equally among all authors. If an author is affiliated with multiple institutions, their Share is further distributed equally among those institutions.
Headline Report on Sun Yat-sen University Official Website
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center Ranks First Globally in Ophthalmology in Nature Index
