International Diagnosis and Treatment Center Opens Offering Internationalized Hematology Services

Background

The Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (IHCAMS), was founded in 1957. It is a national tertiary Class A specialized hospital dedicated to hematological diseases, affiliated with Peking Union Medical College. The hospital integrates patient care, fundamental research, education and translation. It operates three campuses in Tianjin and maintains 1,540 beds across 14 clinical centers.

It has been ranked as the top hematology specialty hospital in China for clinical care for 14 consecutive years and for scientific research impact for 11 years. It serves as the base for the National Clinical Research Center for Blood Diseases and the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology. In 2025, the annual number of patients diagnosed and treated exceeded 318,000. The hospital has pursued an internationalization development route, including establishment of platforms such as the National "Belt and Road" Joint Laboratory.

What was achieved

The International Diagnosis and Treatment Center officially opened in August 2025 after receiving approval for construction in 2024. It has 16 beds currently open. The center gathers top medical resources and technological capabilities from across the hospital to provide services focused on hematological diseases.

It offers an internationalized diagnosis and treatment environment with a core concept of "wisdom in the ward, management in the cloud." This supports full-process, efficient and customized services. The medical team consists of chief clinical experts and directors from the hospital's various centers. Treatment emphasizes cell and gene therapy (CGT), including CAR-T cell therapy and gene therapy, for various blood system diseases.

How it works

Blood diseases affect blood cells, bone marrow function, clotting and the immune system. The hospital employs integrated diagnostic approaches combining morphology, immunophenotyping, genetics and molecular biology for precise identification of conditions ranging from leukemia and lymphoma to inherited disorders and bleeding diseases.

CAR-T cell therapy collects a patient's T cells, a type of immune cell. In a controlled laboratory environment, these cells are genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors that enable them to recognize and bind to specific targets on diseased cells. The modified cells are expanded in number and infused back into the patient, allowing them to attack the target cells and potentially persist for ongoing effect. Gene therapy introduces or corrects genetic material within relevant cells, such as hematopoietic stem cells, often using viral vectors, to restore normal production of functional blood components for disorders with underlying genetic defects. These are supported by the hospital's research platforms for manufacturing, monitoring and follow-up.

What it means for international patients

The center extends the hospital's specialized hematology capabilities to patients from abroad within a dedicated internationalized setting that emphasizes customized care pathways. It forms part of the hospital's broader efforts in international collaboration and making advanced therapies developed through its research available.

International patients should contact the hospital directly to confirm eligibility for specific treatments such as CAR-T cell therapy or gene therapy, as these depend on individual medical history, disease characteristics and clinical criteria. Bed availability and full service details must also be verified with the hospital. The hospital provides channels for international inquiries including through its established international coordination mechanisms.

About the hospital

Located at No. 288 Nanjing Road, Heping District, Tianjin, the Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital is China's largest national research hospital specializing in hematology. Founded in 1957, it is directly administered by the National Health Commission and has developed into what sources describe as the global largest blood disease diagnosis and treatment center.

It leads a national hematology specialty alliance with 167 member institutions across 33 provincial-level regions. The hospital operates multiple national platforms supporting precision diagnosis, regenerative medicine, critical care, transfusion medicine, radiotherapy, biobanking, digital health and clinical research. It has contributed to the approval of over 70 new drugs for blood diseases in China, including six cell and gene therapy products that represent 60% of national CGT approvals.