Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine (WLLSB) was inaugurated in July 2020. It is one of the first research laboratories funded by the Zhejiang Provincial Government. It is led by Westlake University, jointly established with the College of Pharmacology at Zhejiang University and Hangzhou First People’s Hospital Group. WLLSB collaborates with top tire universities (such as Peking University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University), research institutes, and innovative companies in China, and uses cutting-edge research approaches in life science and biomedicine to explore two prominent and challenging research areas, namely aging-and metabolism- related diseases and cancer. The laboratory strives to generate breakthrough findings in both basic and translational studies with top-notch technologies.

The WLLSB consists of four research centers: Basic Research Center, Translational Research Center, Genome Editing Center and Center for Infectious Disease Research. The Basic Research Center includes the Division of Metabolism and Aging and the Division of Cancer Research. The Translational Research Center includes the Division of Methodology for Interdisciplinary Research and the Division of Translational Research. The Genome Editing Center includes the Division of Developing Tools for Genome Editing and the Division of Technologies for Gene Therapy. The Center for Infectious Disease Research includes the Division of Microbiology and the Division of Vaccine and Antibody Development. Through interdisciplinary research and interconnected innovation, the laboratory integrates basic research, translational research, key technology development, clinical diagnosis, and treatment, as well as commercialization and application of advances in science and technology. The laboratory develops a strategy emphasizing disease-orientation, basic research, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

The WLLSB is organized under the guidance of the WLLSB Council. Dr. Mu-ming Poo was appointed as the chairman of the WLLSB Council. Dr. Hongtao Yu was appointed as the director of the WLLSB, who oversees the daily operation of WLLSB.