Established on the basis of the original six departments (anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, microbiology & immunology, and public health) and located at the original site of the previous departments of Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Experimental Medicine was one of the first five institutes established by CAMS. Professor Zhang Feng was appointed as the chancellor, Guo Fuzhi and Zhang Xijun the Vice chancellors, and Guo Fuzhi the secretary of CPC General Branch. Six departments were established, including morphology, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, pathophysiology and biophysics, and a large number of famous medical scientists and young and middle-aged scientific and technological talents were recruited. Thanks to this disciplined and powerful team, Institute of Experimental Medicine gradually developed into a well-known and first-class medical basic theory research institute in China.