AWARDEE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES AND MATERIA MEDICA PRIZE

LI LEISHI

Li Leishi, was born in December 1926 in Changsha, Hunan Province, who received his doctorate of medicine from National Zhong Zheng Medical School in 1949. As the pioneer of nephrology in China and an internationally renowned physician, he's one of the founding fathers of the Chinese Nephrology Association, Asian Nephrology Association, and the founder of the Nephrology, Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation Journal. Currently, Dr. Li is the director of People's Liberation Army (PLA) Research Institute, the deputy- director of the Chinese Internal Medicine Association, Vice-editor of the Chinese Medical Journal (English edition), Chinese Internal Medicine Journal, and Chinese Nephrology Journal. In 1994, he was elected into the prestigious China Academy of Engineering (CAE) and the Standing Committee of Public Health and Medicine; eventually became the inductee of the China Academy of Engineering presidium in 1998. Moreover, he had been the member of the Eighth Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and was awarded Chinese PLA Professional Technical Contribution Award and the National “Bai Jia" Outstanding Physician Award.
As nephrology is in an ever developing stage in China, his expertise greatly contributed in its early development by implementing new clinical and laboratory techniques from abroad, such as broadening the education on the new treatment modalities for renal diseases, the use of renal biopsy and immuno-pathology diagnostic techniques, and renal laboratory research techniques, which in turn, enabled the physicians of nephrology nationwide to acquire the latest development of nephrology, as well to be informed about the medical developments in the West. From 1980s to 1990s, Dr. Li was very successful in the research of continuous hemo-purification in the treatment of severe cases of renal diseases, namely, by utilizing absorption of immune complex therapy to treat lipoprotein nephropathy; meanwhile developing and improving the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, IgA nephropathy and systemic lupus erythematosus glomerulonephritis. Consequently, many patients have benefited from the treatment. For his research in the immunosuppressive therapy, the application of mycophenol acid ester and FK560 in treating systemic lupus erythematosus glomerulonephritis and autoimmune diseases was initially introduced by him, which had been widely adopted worldwide. By integrating the latest medical technology and the treasured traditional Chinese medicine, he introduced Chinese herbs such as: lei gong teng (also known as tripterygium wilfordii) for the treatment of glomerulonephropathy and da huang (rheum officinale) extracts to treat chronic renal failure and diabetic nephropathy. He also noted that cordyceps sinensis could enhance renal tubule reconstruction.
Indeed?, Dr. Li's work has established not only the foundation for the traditional Chinese medicine in the application of nephropathic treatment, but also the promotion of its use to colleagues worldwide. He's now published over 400 articles, received three patents in China and one in the United States of America. He's taught many brilliant students, most of them are currently leaders in national and international nephrology field.