Over the past decade, clinical medicine has undergone transformative changes that were scarcely imaginable a generation ago. Advances such as cutting-edge imaging techniques, smart sensors, surgical robots, artificial intelligence, and a growing family of digital health tools are fundamentally reshaping the way we diagnose, treat, and monitor our patients. Sophisticated algorithms now assist in interpreting vast quantities of medical images, while robotic and navigation systems enhance the precision and capabilities of surgical procedures. Wearable and implantable devices provide continuous streams of physiologic data, enabling real-time patient monitoring. Meanwhile, novel biomaterials, along with micro- and nano-technologies, are paving new avenues for organ repair and targeted therapy. Together, these developments are ushering in a new era of medicine—one defined by greater accuracy, personalization, and improved patient outcomes.
Beneath this wave of innovation, however, a persistent challenge remains. Many elegantly designed technologies still struggle to cross the “last mile” into routine clinical practice. Some are developed without a full understanding of real-world workflows, resource constraints, or the day-to-day pressures faced by clinicians at the bedside. Others become stalled during the stages of validation, regulatory approval, or practical implementation. Too often, clinical and engineering teams pursue their goals in parallel rather than shoulder to shoulder from the very beginning, hindering the seamless integration of new solutions into patient care.
It is in this context that Advanced Clinical Engineering (ACE) was born. Jointly initiated by Peking University Third Hospital and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and published by Higher Education Press, ACE aims to offer a true crossroads for medicine and engineering. More than just a platform for showcasing innovative devices or novel algorithms, our mission is both practical and ambitious: to foster direct dialogue between clinical challenges and engineering solutions, and to judge innovation based on the clarity of the clinical need it addresses, the robustness of the evidence behind it, and its potential to transform frontline patient care.
This philosophy guides the type of work we hope to publish. We are especially interested in studies routed in real clinical scenarios, where the problem is clearly defined before the solution is developed. We value projects that can show at least part of the path from concept and prototype to preclinical testing and early clinical use, even if the journey is still on-going. We look for methods that combine the rigor of engineering with the discipline of good clinical research, reporting not only performance metrics but also safety, usability, and impact on clinical workflow. Moreover, we are especially drawn to solutions and system designs with the potential for scalability and adaption across multiple institutions, rather than those limited to elegant, one-off implementations.
ACE embraces clinical engineering in its broadest sense, with a particular focus on intelligent surgery and interventional therapies, advanced imaging and sensing, medical devices and biomaterials, data science and digital health, and health systems engineering. Our scope includes artificial intelligence, robotics, minimally invasive techniques, digital twins, wearable technologies, 3D printing, and micro- and nanorobotics—provided they are anchored in real clinical needs and accompanied by transparent methods and credible data. We welcome original research, translational reports, concise technical notes, state-of-the-art reviews, and case-based analyses that offer genuine engineering insight. Across all article types, we are committed to upholding scientific rigor, ethical integrity, and the highest standards of openness and reproducibility, within the bounds of patient privacy and regulatory requirements.
Although ACE is rooted in the rich clinical and engineering soil of China, its perspective is unapologetically global. The partnership between Peking University Third Hospital and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University reflects a shared determination to build an international platform for medical–engineering innovation. Our goal is to ensure that important work—regardless of its origin—is visible, debated, and improved by a worldwide community. We are particularly interested in research that addresses major public health challenges such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, aging, critical illness, and health inequities, and that thoughtfully addresses the issues of accessibility, scalability, and sustainability across diverse health systems.
Launching a new journal is not an end point, but the beginning of a long conversation. Our aspiration is that Advanced Clinical Engineering will become a faithful record of progress in this emerging field, an open forum for candid discussion of challenging questions related to methodology, ethics, and implementation, and a catalyst for collaborations that would not happen otherwise.
On behalf of the Editorial Board, We extend a warm invitation to colleagues from clinical practice, engineering and computer science, imaging and pathology, statistics and data science, industry, policy, and health management to join us on this journey. Whether you choose to submit your best work, serve as a reviewer or editor, or simply read and respond to what we publish, your participation will be invaluable in helping this discipline grow in a thoughtful and grounded way.
Healthcare faces complex and urgent challenges. But when clinicians and engineers truly stand side by side—from the initial spark of an idea to its practical application at the bedside—the potential for transformative impact far exceeds what either discipline can achieve alone. We look forward to working with you to ensure that “Advanced Clinical Engineering” is not just the title of a journal, but a tangible reality that patients around the world can experience in their care and long-term health.
The Author(s) 2026. This article is published by Higher Education Press at journal.hep.com.cn.
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