BEIJING, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On the crown of global agricultural heritage, a new jewel has been added. On May 19, news broke from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that the Zhejiang Deqing Freshwater Pearl Mussel Composite Fishery System, known as the "Deqing Pearl System", has been added to the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) list for 2025. It becomes China's first world-class agricultural cultural heritage project in aquaculture.
Heritage under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, is the earliest-recorded area for freshwater pearl farming. As early as the Southern Song Dynasty, it achieved artificial freshwater pearl cultivation.
At Xiaoshanyang in Fuxi Street, fish glide and mussels nestle with clear water. The leftover fish feed and excrement cultivate plankton algae, which feed the pearl-bearing Mussels and purify the water in return, forming an ecological cycle. FAO expert Aicha Bammoun said the system is a model of combining agricultural wisdom with modern conservation, reflecting the enduring vitality of Chinese agricultural civilization.
In recent years, Deqing has been promoting the "pearl+" full-industry-chain integration. Currently, Deqing's pearl deep-processing industry generates an annual output value of over 7 billion yuan, accounting for about one-tenth of the national total and providing employment for nearly 20,000 people.
Back in the late 1970s, Deqing began the systematic research on the origin of freshwater pearl farming. After more than 30 years of literature research and field surveys, it produced a series of results like "Proof of the Origin of Large-scale Cultivation of Artificial Pearls in Ancient China". In June 2017, the system was officially recognized as China's Important Agricultural Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. In September of the same year, Deqing launched the application for GIAHS. In 2019, it entered the GIAHS Preparatory List. In April this year, FAO experts conducted an on-site assessment in Deqing and finally confirmed its inclusion.
"As China's first GIAHS project in aquaculture, the Deqing Pearl System builds a new bridge for Chinese traditional agricultural wisdom to reach the global stage and has exemplary significance," said Min Qingwen, head of the Expert Committee on GIAHS under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. He added that the successful heritage application is just the beginning, and continued exploration and promotion of the system's value are needed.
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CCTV+: A Pearl of Wisdom: Deqing's Aquaculture Legacy Gains Global Recognition
CCTV+: A Pearl of Wisdom: Deqing's Aquaculture Legacy Gains Global Recognition
T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. and Braidwell LP participate as new investors
Stephen Williams, MD, Ph.D. joins as Chief Scientific Officer
Rebecca Chambers and Frank Witney, Ph.D. appointed to Board of Directors
FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alamar Biosciences, Inc. ("Alamar"), a leader in precision proteomics dedicated to advancing the early detection of disease, announced the close of an oversubscribed convertible notes financing, bringing in more than $50 million of new capital. Accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. and Braidwell LP joined the financing as new investors. Existing investors, including Illumina Ventures and Sands Capital, also participated. The financing will support the continued commercial advancement of Alamar's precision proteomics platform.
"We deeply appreciate the continued support from our existing investors and are excited to welcome our new partners," said Dr. Yuling Luo, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Alamar. "Their confidence in our vision and strategy underscores the transformative potential of our work. This investment will enable us to accelerate innovation and continue to expand the reach of our platform, unlocking the full value of precision medicine and early disease detection."
Leadership and Board Expansion
Alamar also announced key additions to its executive leadership team and board of directors to support the company's continued growth and commitment to operational excellence.
To further strengthen its scientific leadership, Alamar welcomes Dr. Stephen Williams as Chief Scientific Officer. Steve brings more than three decades of experience in precision medicine and biomarker innovation. He most recently served as Chief Medical Officer at Standard BioTools and SomaLogic, and previously spent 18 years at Pfizer in senior leadership roles. A recognized leader in the scientific community, he has served on the NIH National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, helped launch the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and co-founded the FDA-FNIH-PhRMA Biomarker Consortium.
Alamar has also appointed Rebecca Chambers and Dr. Frank Witney as directors to its board. Rebecca, Chief Financial Officer at Veracyte, brings deep financial and healthcare leadership experience from her current role as well as previous positions at Outset Medical, Illumina, Myriad Genetics and Life Technologies. Frank, an operating partner at Ampersand Capital Partners, adds over three decades of life sciences leadership experience, including serving as President and CEO of Affymetrix and Dionex Corporation, and currently sits on the boards of Revvity, Cerus Corporation, Standard BioTools, and several private companies.
"I am thrilled to welcome Steve to our leadership team, and Rebecca and Frank to our board of directors," said Dr. Yuling Luo. "Their deep expertise and diverse perspectives will be invaluable as we accelerate our mission to unleash the power of our Precision Proteomics platform, to enable broad impacts across health and disease. This is an exciting moment for Alamar, and we look forward to the impact their leadership will have on driving innovation and growth."
About Alamar Biosciences, Inc.
Alamar Biosciences is a privately held life sciences company dedicated to powering precision proteomics to enable the earliest detection of disease. Leveraging its proprietary NULISA™ technology and the ARGO™ HT System, Alamar's platform is designed to deliver ultra-high sensitivity and addresses key limitations of existing technologies to deliver precision proteomics. For more information, please visit alamarbio.com.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
Alamar Biosciences Announces Close of Oversubscribed Convertible Notes Financing and Expansion of Leadership Team
