Introduction

Founded in 1957, the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with more than 900 staff members and over 400 students, has become the most important research center for heavy-ion science and technology in China. Our research mainly covers: nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, material radiation effects, radiation biology, advanced nuclear energy technology, particle accelerator technology, etc. 
IMP provides a series of large-scale scientific facilities that enable research at the forefront of human knowledge. We have successfully built the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), including the Sector Focusing Cyclotron (SFC), the Separated Sector Cyclotron (SSC), and the Cooling Storage Ring (CSR). Under the management of IMP, HIRFL is open to scientific users worldwide. 
In the past 64 years, we have gained many significant achievements, both in fundamental research (such as the synthesis of new isotopes and the precise mass measurement of short-lived nuclei) and key technologies (including the superconducting ion sources, the superconducting proton linac and the accelerator-driven nuclear energy technology). Furthermore, we have managed to apply heavy ion beam irradiation technology to cancer therapy and mutation breeding, and developed China’s first carbon-ion therapy system. 
At present, IMP is constructing two large-scale scientific facilities in Guangdong Province of southeast China, High Intensity Heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) and China initiative Accelerator Driven System (CiADS). The new facilities will enable scientists to continue to push the frontiers of science and technology, for the benefit of all.