New Research Partnership Aims to Enhance Health in China’s Greater Bay Area

Researchers at the University of Birmingham and Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University have joined forces to launch a joint clinical research institute that aims to improve healthcare outcomes in China’s Greater Bay Area and beyond.

The University of Birmingham-Sun Yat-sen Seventh Hospital Joint Clinical Research Institute is the first such international partnership in Shenzhen and will focus on the high-quality development of clinical research.

As well as exploring clinical research innovation and developing translational medical technology, the partnership aims to create international multi-centre clinical research partnerships and develop the best new clinical research talent.

Professor Jon Frampton, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor (China) at the University of Birmingham and He Yulong, President of Zhongshan Seventh Hospital, signed a cooperation agreement on the establishment of a joint clinical research institute at a grand unveiling ceremony held at Sun Yat-sen Seventh Hospital.

Professor Frampton commented: “We are proud of the University of Birmingham’s strong research in the fields of clinical medicine and cell therapy, which aligns perfectly with the Sun Yat-sen Seventh Affiliated Hospital’s research development strategy. Our partnership through this new Institute will promote the cultivation of high-level research talent and the application of high-quality clinical research projects.”

Professor Fang Gao Smith from the University of Birmingham outlined the successes of the University’s Clinical Research Centre to people attending the ceremony. Guests included Tai Zhongzhi, Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhang Dianping, a third-level researcher of Guangming District Health Bureau, and Li Yichong, head of the Clinical Research Centre of Shenzhen Medical Sciences.

President He Yulong commented: “Zhongshan Seventh Affiliated Hospital has always adhered to clinical research as an important measure of the high-quality development of the hospital and has continuously achieved new results in the past five years since its establishment.

“Our partnership will focus on clinically intractable diseases and frontier fields to carry out international multi-centre clinical research and in-depth cooperation in the establishment of large population cohorts and clinical research talent training.”

On the same day, the partners also held the Clinical Research International Cooperation Forum to discuss topics such as the international cooperation model of clinical research, how to build a new development model of basic research-clinical research-achievement transformation, and the future work plan of the joint clinical research institute.

Tai Zhongzhi, Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University, commented; “We are in a critical period of building a strong country in science and technology and a healthy China, for which excellent medical care and scientific research capability are indispensable – clinical research will create an organic connection between these two important features.

“The cooperation between Sun Yat-sen Seventh Hospital and the University of Birmingham in clinical research will play a positive role in promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind and paying attention to people’s lives and health.”