Obituary—Prof. Dr. Hua-Shi Guan

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Prof. Dr. Hua-Shi Guan, Founding Editor-in-Chief of Marine Drugs, on 4 September 2026. We are grateful for his contributions to the journal and for the lasting impact of his research on the academic community.

An academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Hua-Shi Guan was a pioneer and founding figure in the field of modern marine pharmacology in China. In 1985, Guan and his team successfully developed Polysaccharide Sulfate (PSS), China’s first modern marine drug, which opened the door for China’s marine biopharmaceutical industry. Together with his team, he established China’s first marine characteristic glycan library and developed a technological system for the large-scale preparation of oligosaccharides. He founded China’s first distinctive academic discipline in marine pharmacy and proposed and initiated the implementation of the “Blue Pharmacy” development program, making monumental contributions to the development of China’s modern marine pharmacology discipline and the advancement of related industries.

For Marine Drugs, Prof. Dr. Guan served as Founding Editor-in-Chief during 2003–2005. He played a key role in founding this journal and guided its early development, establishing its scope and academic vision. We remember his important contributions to the journal and to the research community.

On behalf of the Marine Drugs Editorial Office and the entire journal community, we extend our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and students during this difficult time.

He will be remembered for both his scientific contributions and the positive impact he had on those who had the privilege of working with him.

Marine Drugs Editorial Office