From December 9 to 12, 2024, the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Pancreatic Association (APA) was successfully held in Maui, Hawaii, USA. President Zhao Yupei of the Chinese Association of Pancreatology (CAP) led a delegation of nearly 200 Chinese experts to attend the conference. As a significant academic conference in the field of pancreatic diseases worldwide, this event marked the first time that it was jointly organized by the APA, the Japan Pancreas Society (JPS), the CAP, and the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP), signifying a new and important step forward for CAP in promoting global exchange and cooperation. During the meeting, President Zhao Yupei was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the APA, making him the first Chinese scholar to receive this prestigious honor.

Group Photo of Chinese Scholars

The American Pancreatic Association (APA), established in 1969, is a highly reputable academic organization in the field of pancreas globally. For many years, it has provided a high-level platform for researchers, clinicians, and medical professionals worldwide to exchange ideas, playing a positive role in promoting cooperation among different countries and regions in the field of pancreatic diseases and advancing the development of pancreatology.

To further implement the strategic plan outlined in the "CAP-APA Cooperation Memorandum," Academician Zhao Yupei led a delegation to attend this annual meeting. Through the joint efforts of multiple parties, the joint conference achieved an unprecedented scale, attracting numerous top scholars and authoritative institutions from around the world. Nearly 200 Chinese scholars attended the meeting, and over 260 academic abstracts were submitted, both setting new records. Besides participating in poster presentations, several Chinese scholars also served as session chairs or delivered oral reports, contributing Chinese wisdom to the development of pancreatology.

 At the awards dinner on December 10th, Professor Ashok Saluja, the Secretary-General of the APA, presented the "Lifetime Achievement Award" to President Zhao Yupei in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of pancreatic diseases, particularly his exceptional contributions to promoting global cooperation in this area. This is the first time in APA's history that this highest honor has been awarded to a Chinese scholar, not only acknowledging President Zhao Yupei's accomplishments but also affirming the efforts of CAP and all Chinese scholars dedicated to advancing the discipline.

 President Zhao Yupei Receives APA Lifetime Achievement Award

During the conference, the leaders of CAP, APA, JPS, and IAP held discussions on topics such as "further promoting research cooperation in the field of pancreatic diseases" and "actively facilitating the exchange and training of young scholars," creating a favorable cooperative atmosphere for the hosting of the 2nd CAP Academic Conference in 2025.

The prestigious award received by Academician Zhao Yupei mark another important milestone in the development of CAP, accumulating valuable experience for CAP to further participate in major international events in the field of pancreatic diseases. In the future, CAP will continue to promote technological innovation and international exchanges and cooperation among academic organizations in the field of pancreatic diseases, playing a more active and leading role in driving the global development of this field.