The morning of 15 January witnessed the Academic Forum of Interdisciplinary Biology & Inaugural Ceremony of Exploration, hosted by Henan University, together with Chinese Association of Nanobiology and Wiley at Pullman Hotel Kaifeng. The event was conducted both on site and online. The forum on site was attended by Hengzhen Xu, Second Level Inspector and Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Office of the Department of Education of Henan Province, Philip Kisray, President of Wiley China, while the meeting online was attended by Shuhong Yu, academician from University of Science and Technology of China, Yihai Cao, academician from Karolinska Institute, Dr José Oliveira, Senior Editorial Director of Wiley, Prof. David Galbraith of the University of Arizona and other leading experts in the related area.

Those who attended the event on site from Henan University were Chun-Peng Song, President of Henan University, Zhen Tan, Yunchao Kan and Junjian Sun who serve as the Vice-Presidents and Members of the Standing Committee of CPC of Henan University, Professor Bingyang, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Exploration. Officials from relevant functional departments, colleges and research institutes such as President’s Office, Discipline Construction Office, Human Resources Office, International Affairs Office, Science and Technology Office, and the School of Life Sciences.

The first session of the forum was hosted by Zhen Tan. The participants firstly watched the introduction video of Henan University and the Wiley.

During this session, Chun-Peng Song expressed his warm welcome to the leaders and experts visiting Henan University and expressed his heartfelt thanks to them for their constant support. He briefly introduced the development history of Henan University. Besides, he pointed out that, being the platforms for academic exchange of scientific discoveries, scientific journals reflect the scientific power of the nation, bearing the mission of inheriting human civilization, and leading the development of science and technology. The innovation and integration of biology and related areas call for collaboration and exchange. Exploration has finished the preliminary stage of preparation by careful planning and consultation of leading experts. Exploration, jointly sponsored by Henan University, Chinese Association of Nanobiology  and Wiley, is based on the national strategy which advocates scientific innovation and will provide a high-end academic platform for international researchers to exchange ideas on this area. Song hope that it will implement the philosophy of "quality first", focus on its own characteristics to maintain a sustainable development, and lead the development of this area by seizing the strategic opportunity of developing interdisciplinary disciplines and seeking international corporation.

Hengzhen Xu stated in the keynote speech that Exploration leads the development of interdisciplinary research, and it serves as a great initiative to implement the opening up policy in the area of research and education in the new era. He said that it is also an insightful move to cope with the change in scientific research evaluation system both at home and abroad and take the initiative in the current situation. It is an important step to increase international influence by stimulating innovation and enhancing the building of related disciplines. He mentions that the launch of this new journal has to meet the following three objectives. Firstly, to build an international academic platform. The launch of first-class journals with international competitiveness and influence will improve the development of disciplines and increase their international influence; secondly, to create a developing mechanism. Launching new journals brings together a number of domestic and foreign experts, scholars and scientific research teams to develop the discipline. Thirdly, to create a number of interdisciplinary studies. It will adapt to the demand for high-level talents for scientist innovation and for economic, social and industrial development, increase the efforts of interdisciplinary exploration, and provide support for major breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation and theoretical innovation.

Prof. Shuhong Yu, Prof. Yihai Cao and Prof. David Galbraith said in their keynote speeches that with the focus of interdisciplinary research and innovation, Exploration will become a comprehensive academic journal with international influence by publishing original and leading scientific research of the unknown area. The journal is of strategic significance as it focuses on interdisciplinary innovation in basic research, clinical medicine, novel materials, pharmacology, physics, chemistry, informatics, artificial intelligence, statistics, genetics and other disciplines. They hope that this new platform will promote international cooperation in science and technologies to achieve the common goals of mankind. They would like to stimulate high-quality scientific research and expand the frontiers of human knowledge along with Exploration.

Philip Kisray and José Oliveira said in their speeches that Wiley will focus on interdisciplinary development, support experts and scholars in various fields to unleash their research energy and enhance the competitiveness of their disciplines, and make Exploration a well-known platform for biology, medicine, bio-nano, physical chemistry and other fields. They expressed their willingness to help raise its status in the global interdisciplinary field.

Then, Yunchao Kan and Philip Kisray signed the Memorandum of Cooperation Between Henan University and Wiley on behalf of both parties.

Hengzhen Xu, Philip Kisray, Chun-Peng Song, Zhen Tan, Yunchao Kan, Meng Fang from the Director of President’s Office, Yuchen Miao, Director of Discipline Construction Office, Jianwei Wu, Director of Human Resources Office, Lixin Zhang, Dean of the School of Life Sciences put their hands in the launching area and announced the opening of the forum and the launch of Exploration.

The second round of the forum was held by Prof. Xing-Jie Liang, editor-in-chief of Exploration. The speakers of this round of forum were Ben Zhong Tang, academician from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Lei Jiang, academician from Institute of Physical and Chemical Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shuhong Yu, academician from University of Science and Technology of China, Daiming Fan, academician from Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, Paul Weiss, academician from University of California, Los Angeles, Taeghwan Hyeon, academician from Seoul National University, Kenneth Dawson, academician from University College Dublin, Guoping Chen, academician from University of Tsukuba, Alan Rowan, academician from University of Queensland, Miklos Zrinyi, academician from Semmelweis University, Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse, academician from University of Auckland, Yihai Cao, academician from Karolinska Institute, David Galbrait from University of Arizona, Prof. Xingyu Jiang from Southern University of Science and Technology, Prof. Zhiyong Qian from Sichuan University, Prof. Jun Wang from South China University of Technology, Prof. Yaping Li from Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Guangjun Nie from National Centre for Nanoscience and Technology, Prof. Chuhong Zhu from Medical University for Land Army, Prof. Gang Liu from Xiamen University, Prof. Chun-Xia Zhao from University of Queensland, Prof. Daxiang Cui from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Prof. Youqing Shen from Zhejiang University, Prof. Xueyun Gao from Beijing University of Technology, Prof. Aiguo Wu from Ningbo Institute of Nanotechnology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Daishun Ling from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The forum was broadcast live online and attracted nearly 10,000 audience.

The closing ceremony of the conference was chaired by Bingyang. In this part, Junjian Sun expressed his gratitude to the leaders, experts and Wiley for their constant support for Henan University and participants attending the conference online and on site, as well as congratulations to the launch of Exploration. He mentioned that the university will provide full support to the running of the journal in terms of office space, funding and staff recruitment. He hopes that the editorial team will keep up its momentum and develop a strategic vision of making long-term efforts, implement the philosophy of "quality first", refine the system of running the journal, improve the operation process, and develop it into a first-class journal with international influence as well as with Chinese characteristics. He believes that this journal will lead interdisciplinary development and contribute to the development of science and technology of the whole nation.