In a broad-ranging speech on September 9, 2025, to mark the 26th Anniversary of the founding of BGI, Dr. Yin Ye, BGI Group CEO, shared insights on achieving a healthy and happy life. He emphasized four key aspects we can all undertake: adjusting diet, staying physically active, getting good sleep, and laughing often.
Dr. Yin Ye, CEO of BGI Group, delivered a keynote speech at BGI Group's 26th Anniversary.
Dr. Yin believes that these practices can lead to what he described as a "wilderness life," a life that is “not a trajectory, and certainly not a single-plank bridge” but a life of development, experience and one that promotes health, happiness and overall well-being. He also highlighted the importance of early screening and prevention for diseases and the enormous potential of gene technology in achieving this. As he noted: “When others talk to me about “Longevity”, I think it is not just about living long but living healthily and happily. If we can achieve personal well-being, we can contribute to the world.”
These are some of the highlights of his speech.
The importance of public health
Dr. Yin highlighted that throughout the world governments are introducing legislation to encourage new projects in the fields of gene therapy, immunotherapy, stem cell therapy, synthetic biology, and more, to be piloted in clinical settings. However, when these drugs come to market there can be enormous price difference. He cited the case of similar stem cell drugs being almost simultaneously approved in China and the U.S. in December 2024 and January 2025. The price difference to the patient was enormous with the U.S. drug costing 70 times more than the Chinese one. As Dr. Yin noted: “Innovation requires research funding, but the results of innovation need to be shared universally.”
He encouraged everyone to undergo genetic screening and multi-omics testing as a way to share the learnings of mass knowledge about diseases: “When a country makes the collective health of its people a core policy, I believe that health and longevity will become the new normal, which is the great significance of China’s initiative, ‘Healthy China 2030’.”
“Life is a wilderness, not a trajectory, and certainly not a single-plank bridge.”
Gene technology empowers “Healthy and Beautiful, Accessible to All”
In 1800, just 225 years ago, there were only 1 billion people on Earth, and the average life expectancy was only 30 years. Today there are 8 billion people with an average life expectancy of 73 years. In developed societies that life expectancy can be 90 years.
Gene technology is helping to improve that expectancy. In order to fight aging, Dr. Yin believes we need to recognize it as a disease that can be prevented, treated and even reversed. He gave the example of BGI Group Chairman and Co-Founder, Wang Jian who records multiple multi-omics data on his body. This enables him to know his genes, store his cells, adjust his microbiome and control his sleep. Wang Jian climbed Mount Everest at 56, went to the Antarctica at 58, reached the North Pole at 61, and dived to the Mariana Trench for scientific research at 67. Last year, he climbed Mount Everest again, setting a new record for the oldest Chinese to reach the summit Everest. Moreover, he collected blood, urine, and stool samples for various tests at every 1,000 meters. All of this improves knowledge of the impact on the human body and can contribute to tackling diseases.
Similarly, research is helping to fight genetic and rare diseases such as Down Syndrome. Dr. Yin believes such high-end precision testing must be accessible to everyone.
Prevention is better than cure
Identifying diseases earlier will enable earlier treatment and potentially the elimination of the disease. Colorectal cancer, for example, can now be identified through stool testing. This enables early detection, and when combined with follow-up colonoscopy and subsequent treatment for those testing positive there is a better chance for recovery. “There is no sudden occurrence of tumors, only the sudden discovery of cancer,” says Dr. Yin. “As long as the cancer can be detected and treated at the in situ stage, it is not so scary.”
Aside from early detection of diseases, Dr. Yin noted the importance of lifestyle changes each of us can make to improve our own health. For example, in many countries overweight and obesity rates are too high. He therefore urged everyone to consider lifestyle changes: “I hope everyone can remember: control weight, control blood pressure, drink more tea and less alcohol, eat more vinegar and less salt, drink more water and less oil, move more and sit less. Life lies in movement, not in stillness. Move a bit after meals, and blood sugar will stabilize. We should treat our bodies in this way.”
In conclusion, Dr. Yin noted the importance of both technology, research and healthy living and advocated a balanced and fulfilling life for everyone: “As the most long-lived generation of Homo sapiens in history, let us embrace a new life of health, wisdom, and beauty together.”