Members of a student volunteer group from Xi'an Jiaotong University pose for a photo at a village in Tianshui, Gansu province, where they designed and built a bridge.
Xi'an Jiaotong University, a prestigious institute in Shaanxi province, is committed to enhancing medical and health services by advancing the high-quality development of affiliated hospitals and building top-tier provincial hospitals.
For years, it has undertaken medical aid missions in the Xizang and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions as well as overseas, dedicated to extending medical resources to grassroots communities and contributing to the advancement of the Healthy China Initiative.
Last year, at a township health center in Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, an 8-year-old girl beamed shyly after receiving a prosthetic nose from a medical team led by XJTU Professor Wang Jing.
"Our prosthetic noses are designed to fit comfortably against the skin and, most importantly, to be indistinguishable at a normal social distance," said Zhou Qing, a team member.
This significant achievement stems from the team's groundbreaking progress in 3D bioprinting and bionic tissue engineering.
They utilized 3D scanning, generative artificial intelligence and custom craftsmanship to create a prosthetic nose that seamlessly fits the girl's facial structure and matches her skin tone.
The team also helped other Tibetan children with similar needs. This challenging journey began in August 2025. The team traveled from Xi'an to Garze to deliver prosthetics to the children.
Despite numerous dangers, including a landslide, Wang said that witnessing the children's smiles made the challenges worthwhile.
Supported by an innovation platform in Shaanxi province, Wang founded an intelligent manufacturing company in 2022, specializing in in vitro organ production.
As of early December 2025, the company had a market value of 150 million yuan ($21.86 million), secured 5 million yuan in funding and was in negotiations for a second round of financing. In the future, the venture is expected to assist more individuals in need.
Beyond medical support, the university continues to foster cooperation with local regions, deepen targeted poverty alleviation and paired assistance, and boost the high-quality economic and social development of local regions.
It has signed strategic cooperation agreements with 18 provinces and autonomous regions across China to support their development goals, and completed paired assistance programs with six universities, including Xin jiang University.
In Ruhe village, Pingli county, for example, the construction of a tea leaf-shaped bridge in August 2025 has transformed the lives of more than 1,000 villagers.
The bridge features a deck constructed from locally sourced ecological materials such as bamboo, with both sides adorned with cost-effective landscaping flowers and climbing roses.
This design harmonizes practicality with aesthetics, reflecting Ruhe village's identity as a "hometown of tea"
The bridge was constructed with assistance from a 20-year-old volunteer team from XJTU.
Starting with the first bridge in Maosi village, Gansu province, the XJTU volunteer team has made its mark in more than 800 villages across the country, constructing 57 low-carbon, cost-effective pedestrian bridges and two village activity centers, benefiting more than 500,000 people.
Their "Bridge Plus" innovation model has spurred comprehensive rural vitalization, serving as a vital link between the university and rural areas.
In addition to the tea leaf-shaped bridge, the university has built three more pedestrian bridges in Ruhe village and deployed AI monitoring technology, drone-based aerial monitoring, and intelligent sensors for bridge inspections.
The volunteer team has raised funds to repair roads damaged by heavy rains and reinforce river embankments.
Furthermore, they have developed plans for a pastoral ecological complex that promotes tea tourism, offering experiences such as tea picking and processing, aiming to boost local industry.
