The State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (SKLRD) at Guangzhou Medical University (GMU) was established in 2007 through a collaboration between the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health and the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GIBH, CAS). SKLRD is currently the only state key laboratory in China dedicated to the field of respiratory health. It was founded by Academician Nanshan Zhong and is now directed by Professor Jincun Zhao, with Professor Mengfeng Li serving as the director of the Academic Committee.

The laboratory operates at the intersection of basic research and clinical applications, addressing critical issues in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of respiratory diseases. It employs a "dual transformation" approach, transitioning from empirical medicine to evidence-based practices and from basic research to clinical research. By integrating interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence and big data analysis, the laboratory focuses on conducting foundational research aimed at addressing clinical challenges related to respiratory diseases. It facilitates multi-center clinical validation of research findings, which leads to the development of innovative products or treatment strategies. This dual approach supports the effective transition of discoveries from the research phase to practical implementation in the market or clinical settings, thereby establishing a comprehensive innovation model that encompasses basic research, clinical studies, knowledge transfer, and industrial development.