SPOTLIGHT ON GUANGZHOU
Trade hub to innovation hotbed
The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou is fast becoming an epicentre for scientists and researchers to join forces with industry to develop new high-tech products and innovations.
BY YU FEI AND FU QING
We encourage enterprises to cooperate with universities and research institutes. CHEN YANLING
THE CHINESE government has ambitious plans to reinvigorate the country's economy through innovation. This major shift must be supported by making science and technology a major priority, as the country's most recent five-year-plan emphasized.
The city of Guangzhou is well-placed to succeed in this new landscape. Dubbed the “southern gate of China”, with Hong Kong and Macao as its neighbours, Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, has been one of China's most important port cities and commercial centres since it was the departure point on the Maritime Silk Road during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
Today the city's GDP per capita exceeds US $20,000, the third highest of the country's large cities after Beijing and Shanghai. In 2015, the value of Guangzhou's high-tech products reached more than 842 billion yuan (US $130 billion) and the number of new patent licenses surged past 6,000, a rise of almost 50% from 2014.
While car manufacturing, petroleum and chemicals are Guangzhou's traditional pillars, emerging sectors such as electronics, biological and pharmaceutical research and new materials have developed rapidly. The city is also home to 13 of China's 50 most innovative companies as selected by U.S. business magazine Fast Company.
As well as being a commercial hotspot, the municipal government also wants Guangzhou to become an international science and technology innovation hub. Already home to most of the research centres in its province (79 universities, 141 research organizations and 19 national key laboratories), under local government plans the city could see a doubling of the number of incubators that help accelerate the growth of sci-tech start-ups. Land and financial support is also being allocated for development of high-tech enterprises and the construction of companies with in-house R&D capabilities.
Supporting research commercialization
The Guangzhou government spent 7.17 billion yuan (approximately US$1.1 billion) on science and technology projects last year, almost five times the amount spent in 2010. It has committed to increasing the budget to 10 billion yuan by 2017, a significant portion of which will be used to commercialize the city's research effort.
Since mid-2015 policies to facilitate research commercialization have been rolled out, with particular emphasis on the role businesses must play. The Guangzhou Science, Technology and Innovation Commission, which is in charge of science and technology affairs under the Guangzhou municipal government, says more than 80% of the city's science and technology funding will support projects led by business by 2018. The government will also help more than half the city's industrial enterprises above a designated size establish R&D bases in Guangzhou.
“The policies are similar to those of other cities, developed against the backdrop of China's development of an innovationdriven economy and implementing the amended Law on Promoting the Transformation of Scientific and Technological Achievements in October, 2015. We will see the effect of the policies this year,” says Chen Yanling, vice director of the innovation service department of the Guangzhou Science, Technology and Innovation Commission.
Enterprises buying scientific and technological patents can seek government subsidies of 5% of the value of research result transactions. Newly-established sci-tech companies can also apply for subsidies of 50% of their rent for three consecutive years, according to the commission. “We encourage enterprises to cooperate with universities and research institutes,” Chen says.
Another new policy also encourages scientists and technology experts in universities and research institutes to commercialize their research. It directs administrators at these organizations to expand the criteria they use to evaluate researchers beyond their publication record, to include commercial achievements such as the number of patents they hold, or their efforts to translate their research.
Incubating sci-tech companies
At the heart of Guangzhou's development district in the city's east sits Guangzhou Science Town. Spread over 20 square kilometers, the town was built in 1998 to facilitate research commercialization by positioning businesses in the same precinct as researchers and entrepreneurs.
The science town is home to Guangzhou's first modern business incubator, which helps start-ups establish themselves by sharing equipment and support staff, as well as offering management training and cheaper office space. The town now boast 45 incubators – including some set up by the government, universities or research institutes – collectively assisting about 3,000 sci-tech companies.
“The incubators provide the space and services for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. As researchers and university professors are unfamiliar with commercial registration procedures and legal and financial issues of business, the incubators help solve those problems,” says Xia Jian, deputy secretary of the Technological Innovation and Intellectual Property Bureau of the Guangzhou Development District.
boxed-textOne recently established incubator set up by the Guangzhou Research Institute of Optical- Mechanical-Electrical Technology, which specializes in bio-medical, financial and laboratory monitoring equipment, has helped launched several science start-ups or businesses based on the institution's research.
One spin-off from the institute, Guangdong Spectrastar Instruments, has successfully commercialized near-infrared spectroscopy technology developed by one the institute's research teams, led by Chen Xingdan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Chen was responsible for measuring the light radiation of China's first nuclear test in the 1960s. He has spent more than two decades studying near infrared spectroscopy, and is enthusiastic about his research results being used outside the lab.
Products made by Guangdong Spectrastar Instruments entered the market in 2015. “Its output value is expected to reach 10 million yuan in 2016,” says Ren Hao, deputy director of the institute. He says the corporation aims to list on the stock market in 2017. The incubator is also helping to realize the visions of university graduates developing a new satellite and a group of technicians from Taiwan developing a mini supercomputer.
“The research organizations have a responsibility to help transform and upgrade China's small and mediumsized enterprises. Guangzhou is at the frontier of economic and trade activities that provide us with sufficient market and commercial information. We want to find a new development mode together with business,” Ren adds.
Collaborative innovation
Collaborations between businesses and academic centers are another important source of innovation in Guangzhou. Several alliances have formed between industry and universities or research institutions in fields such as new materials, 3D printing, industrial robotics and biological medicine. The local government has handed out 0.1 billion yuan annually for the last five years to support collaborative innovation and research commercialization in the field of health care.
Animal vaccine-producer Guangdong Winsun Biopharmaceutical Corporation is one company that has benefited from alliances with research institutions. Originally a state-owned enterprise established in 1958, the organization was restructured into a private holding company in 2002. At the time, it had no in-house R&D capabilities and competition from other companies threatened to drive it out of business.
After restructuring, the company established stronger connections with the China Institute of Veterinary Drug Control, the South China Agricultural University, the Sun Yat-sen University, the Guangdong Ocean University and the East China University of Science and Technology to develop and test new vaccines.
“We either buy their research results or jointly develop new vaccines. Our major source of profits comes from cooperation with institutes and universities,” says general manager Lin Xuye. The corporation produces 43 different vaccines, with sales revenue exceeding 300 million yuan in 2015. Now it invests about 8% of its sales value in R&D every year.
Another hotbed of profitable cooperation is the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health of the CAS. In 2009, it set up a drug discovery pipeline to research and develop new medicines and bio-medicine technologies, which aims to combine the resources of research organizations, universities and companies in south China to accelerate development of key drugs.
As a result of the platform, AD16, a new anti-neuroinflammatory agent to treat Alzheimer's disease has passed preclinical trials and has been granted a clinical trial approval by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA). An oral kinase inhibitor for the treatment of leukemia is now awaiting CFDA clinical trial approval.
Guangzhou by numbers
The southern city of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, is one of China's top ten best per forming cities in the Nature Index, a database that tracks the world's best natural science research. Since 2012, the number of articles Guangzhou scientists have published in top-tier journals has almost doubled.
One of China's top research cities
Leading institutions
Rising performance
Chemistry strengh
Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health
A centre for stem cell and translational medicine in the Pearl River Delta
Just over a decade old, the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health is exploring new ways to combat disease through conducting vital research.
The Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health (GIBH), Chinese Academy of Sciences, was established in 2003 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, through collaborative agreements with the Guangdong and Guangzhou governments. The founders envisioned a modern institute with a forward-looking philosophy that would transform the research landscape of southern China. GIBH is realizing that vision, as evidenced by its gaining global recognition of its cutting-edge scientific research.
Strategic research
GIBH has become a first-rate organization with over 500 dedicated staff members and more than 300 graduate students. The scientists and students are currently engaging in five major fields of inquiry: stem cell biology, chemical biology, infection and immunity, public health and de novo drug discovery. The GIBH strategy combines both basic and translational research in focused areas. This strategy will not only provide a deep understanding of life and disease, but also catalyze breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. Based on this conviction, GIBH is devoting resources to developing cutting-edge technologies and to solving important scientific problems in a collaborative environment. Accordingly, GIBH is building a new state-of-the-art good-manufacturing-practice facility to manufacture clinical-grade cells, including neural stem cells and hepatocyte progenitor cells for human transplantation; these cells will be used to treat diseases of the central nervous system and liver, respectively.
Drug discovery
Over the years, GIBH has established a solid reputation through high-profile publications and the development of innovative drugs. For example, its innovative drug-discovery platform has advanced a number of clinical candidate drugs for the treatment of cancer and neural degenerative diseases. Two of its investigational new drugs were recently certified in 2016 by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration, allowing for the initiation of phase-one clinical trials in China. Its dual focus on original discovery and innovative applications will propel the organization towards even greater achievements in years to come.
Seeking collaborators
The overall vision of GIBH is to serve the citizens of China and the world through discovery. It is actively seeking external collaborations and partnerships with scientists and institutes where there is a mutual interest. GIBH offers commitment, creativity and opportunity. GIBH seeks individuals who share its vision and enthusiasm for the future. Positions are available at all ranks in five research programmes (for more information, visit http://www.gibh.cas.cn or http://english.gibh.cas.cn):
• Stem cell and regenerative medicine
• Chemistry and synthetic biology
• Infection and immunity
• Public health
• Drug discovery pipeline
Contact
E-mail: hr@gibh.org
Tel: 0086-20-32015342, 32015267
Fax: 0086-20-32015267
Address: 190 Kaiyuan Avenue, Science Park, Guangzhou, China, 510530
The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University
Building on a prestigious heritage
With an illustrious history, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University is seeking to extend its influence by opening up new opportunities.
Founded by Sun Yat-sen, the great forerunner of China's democratic revolution, Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) is a key university in China with a long history and prestigious tradition. Its medical school, Zhongshan School of Medicine, can be traced back to Boji Medical School — China's oldest Western medicine school. The university was the site of many firsts in China's history of Western medicine: the first therapeutic laparotomy, the first surgical anaesthesia, the first cystolithotomy, the first ophthalmologic operation and the first use of X-ray imaging.
Leveraging its nearly 150-year heritage, Zhongshan School of Medicine is now one of China's largest healthcare systems, with eight affiliated hospitals, five indirectly affiliated hospitals, seven community service centres and 29 teaching hospitals. It is ranked among the top in China for clinical practice and medical education and research. It plays a central role in China's medical field and also enjoys a good reputation abroad.
The First Affiliated Hospital of SYSU adheres to the tenet of “Treat the disease, the body, and the mind; save the people, the country, and the world.” Founded in 1910, it is the largest of all the SYSU-affiliated hospitals. With five national key disciplines, one national–local collaborative engineering laboratory, six provincial key laboratories, one provincial engineering laboratory, five provincial engineering technology research centres and three provincial bases for international cooperation, it is one of the largest and strongest hospitals in China. The hospital has 28 national key clinical specialties — the fourth highest among Chinese hospitals. With 3,141 beds, 4.7 million outpatient visits, 110,000 inpatients and 81,000 surgical operations annually, it is a first-class base for medical service, training and research.
The hospital has pioneered multiple innovative medical technologies with national and global influence. Examples include the first successful kidney transplantation in China, limb replantation, separation of twins conjoined at the head, third-generation test-tube baby technology, China's first intracavitary therapies for thoracic–abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection aneurysm (therapies available in only a few places in the world), and Asia's first simultaneous kidney and liver transplant and organ cluster transplant.
For 2011–2015, the hospital was awarded 390 million RMB funding for 1,429 various research projects, enabling it achieve a series of influential research outcomes. The hospital is also active in international exchange, having established academic collaboration with medical education and research institutions in many countries and regions, including the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Birmingham, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Association for Medical Education in Europe.
In 2016–2020, the First Affiliated Hospital of SYSU will target the frontier of clinical medicine and develop high-level clinical and basic research platforms, including a state key laboratory, an international clinical research centre, a biobank and big databases. Focusing on critical and common diseases that are major health threats, the hospital will conduct translational, clinical and precision medicine research aimed at individualized patient care.
The First Affiliated Hospital of SYSU is building on its 100-year heritage by opening new development opportunities. Outstanding biomedical and clinical researchers from around the world are invited to join the hospital and help build a world-class medical centre that excels in clinical services, research and education.
Contact
E-mail: zsyyyb@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Tel: +86-20-87766335
Fax: +86-20-87330736
Website: http://www.gzsums.net
Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital
Pioneering medicine for over 180 years
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital is seeking to build on its long record of achievements by adding to its talented pool of researchers.
Founded in 1835 as an ophthalmological hospital by the American missionary Peter Parker, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) was the first hospital to provide Western medicine in China, and it has the reputation of being the cradle of Western medicine education in China. Sun Yat-sen, widely regarded as the founding father of modern China, studied at the hospital.
For over 180 years, the hospital has been a major pioneer in medical science. It boasts many firsts in China, including China's first ophthalmological surgery, first ovariotomy, first lithocystotomy, first etherization and first pathological anatomy. It also took the first X-ray image in China and published the first medical magazine. The hospital currently has nine national clinical specialties: orthopedics, gynecology, oncology, endocrinology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric hematology, emergency, urology and general surgery.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital is determined to create a conducive environment for research. It has two key clinical disciplines for the 12th Five-Year Medical Guideline of Guangdong Province, one key laboratory for the 12th Five-Year Medical Guideline of Guangdong Province, one key laboratory of Higher Education in Guangdong Province, one key laboratory of Guangdong Province and one research centre for the engineering programme of the Department of Education of Guangdong Province.
Since 2000, it has been awarded 307 national research grants worth over 147 million RMB from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). In 2014 alone, it was awarded 45 national research grants worth over 40 million RMB from the NSFC. Over the past 15 years, it has published more than 1,000 Science Citation Index cited research articles. In 2003, one article was ranked as one of the world's top-ten scientific achievements by the journal Science. In 2015, another paper was published as a cover story in the journal Cancer Cell. In the same year, a project led by Erwei Song focusing on the regulatory mechanism and targeted therapy of breast cancer metastasis won second prize in the State Natural Science Award of China.
Its scientists are earning the hospital international acclaim. They include two National Thousand Talents, two National Cheung Kong Scholars, one National Chief Scientist, one Guangdong Leading Talent, eight New Century Talents, five Sun Yat-sen Hundred Talents, 484 senior faculty members, 70 PhD supervisors and 144 master supervisors.
The hospital's remarkable achievements in medical science have been widely recognized by society. It is the first hospital in Guangdong province to be rated as a class A tertiary general hospital in China. It has been awarded Excellent Institute in National Health Care System, Most Reliable Hospital of the Nation, National Excellent Hospital for Medical Insurance Management, Model Hospital in Guangdong Province, Norman Bethune Model Hospital in Guangdong Province, and Most Popular Class A Tertiary Hospital.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital is currently seeking global experts studying RNA and major diseases, including malignant tumours, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases and neural diseases. Successful candidates will be offered a comprehensive benefit package and other support. Aspiring scientists are cordially invited to apply for prestigious positions under the hospital's global recruitment strategy.
Contact
Address: Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510120, China
E-mail: sysmhospital@hotmail.com
Tel: +86 20 81332510
Website: http://www.syshospital.com
The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University
Leading gastroenterology research in China
Spearheading clinical research in gastroenterology in China, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University is well known for its high academic and clinical standards. It is striving to become a modern general hospital with a global reputation.
The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU), also called Guangdong Gastrointestinal Hospital, is a large, first-class hospital in southern China. A general hospital with excellent clinical resources, it has 1,200 beds, two-thirds of which are for patients with gastrointestinal diseases. More than 15,000 gastrointestinal operations are performed at the hospital each year.
Treating gastrointestinal conditions
The hospital is well known for its expertise in gastrointestinal and colorectal surgery. Its gastroenterology is rated as a national key subject, while several of its main subjects under general surgery have been recognized as key medical specialties of Guangdong province since 2009 and as national key clinical specialties by the Chinese Ministry of Health since 2012. The hospital headed the compilation of the 2010 and 2015 editions of Therapeutic standards of colorectal cancer and the 2010 edition of Guidelines for the diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. It has greatly contributed to China's progress in standardizing the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions. The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of SYSU was selected to be the chair institution for colon, rectum and anus surgery by the Chinese Society of Surgery. It was also chosen to be the chief-editor institution for the eighth edition of the state-compiled textbook Surgery.
Top research facilities
The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of SYSU is home to the SYSU Research Institute of Gastroenterology (RIG; also known as Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology), which houses the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases. With a total area of 5,000 square metres, SYSU RIG has a central laboratory, a molecular diagnostic laboratory, a database centre, a tissue bank and a biotherapy centre. It currently has 45 scientists, including 14 professors and 16 associate professors, and its annual research budget exceeds 20 million RMB.
Collaboration and publications
SYSU RIG is active in international collaboration. Working with University of Washington (UW), it has established the SYSU–UW Institute for Translational Medicine. A research institute focusing on personalized medicine for gastrointestinal cancer has been set up in collaboration with Lee Hartwell, Nobel laureate and director of the Partnership for Personalized Medicine. A pelvic disease research centre has been established — the only one of its kind in China — with the assistance of a 3 million RMB donation from Masahiro Takano, a famous Japanese gastroenterologist.
SYSU RIG has conducted innovative research on colorectal and pelvic diseases to address practical needs. Its researchers have published papers in high-profile international journals, including Cancer Cell, Gastroenterology and Gut. These studies provide a good foundation for setting up guidelines for diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal diseases.
The hospital is the host institution for three journals: the Chinese version of Diseases of Colon and Rectum (official journal of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and a world-leading publication on colorectal surgery), Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery (a national core journal included in PubMed, and rated among the top 200 medical science journals and the top three surgery journals in China) and Gastroenterology Report (listed in Science Citation Index in 2016).
Contact
Mr. Zhang
E-mail: zhliangy@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Website: http://www.zs6y.com
Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University
Triple dental excellence
Guanghua School of Stomatology excels in education, patient care and research.
Located in Guangzhou, the third biggest city in China and the cultural and economic centre of south China, the Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, is one of the most prestigious dental schools in China, ranking sixth in the country. It was founded in 1974 as the Faculty of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen Medical College, and adopted its present name in 2001. It is a modern dental school with high integration of education, patient care and research.
First-class faculty and education
Guanghua School of Stomatology is the south China hub for dental science education. It seeks to foster outstanding stomatologists who have high-levels of leadership and professional competence and who are dedicated to improving oral health through patient care, teaching and research. The school has 278 full-time academic faculty members and 484 other staff. It offers various degree courses, including a five-year bachelor degree (BDS), three-year master degrees (MDS and MPhil) and three-year doctoral degrees as well as various continuing education programmes. It is the only accredited dental school to offer doctoral degrees in south China. Over 800 students are enrolled at the school. Each year it accepts about 90–100 undergraduate students, 40 master students and 18 doctoral students.
The school has a state-of-the-art experimental teaching centre, which occupies 3,000 square metres and is equipped with 170 advanced dental patient simulation workstations, ten dental microscopes, two virtual simulation systems and a three-dimensional printing system. These facilities provide excellent preclinical training conditions for students.
Excellent patient care
As the largest stomatological hospital in south China, the Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, is a key dental hospital under the umbrella of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China. It is the main clinical practicing centre for the students of Guanghua School of Stomatology. It is also accredited as a Chinese National Base for Medical Licensing Examination and a National Standard Training Base for Residence. The hospital has a strong reputation in China for its advanced facilities, comfortable environment and high-quality treatment. It consists of 15 clinical departments and 7 auxiliary departments. The departments of conservative dentistry and endodontic, oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics and orthodontics were appraised as National Key Clinical Specialties by the Ministry of Health in 2010 and 2012. The hospital has 375 dental chairs and 80 inpatient beds and accepts about 600,000 outpatients and 2,200 inpatients annually. It is noted for its standardized treatment protocols, management of complicated cases and embrace of new clinical technology.
High-level research
A research institute that mainly focuses on dental and craniofacial diseases was established by the school in 2006. It is the largest stomatological research centre in south China, equipped with advanced experimental equipment whose total cost exceeds 36 million RMB. The institute has four main laboratories: an oral molecular biology laboratory, an oral cell biology laboratory, a translational medicine laboratory for oral maxillofacial cancer and a biomaterial laboratory. In 2012, it was designated the Key Laboratory of Stomatology of Guangdong Province. Faculty have active research programmes funded by several key research sponsor organizations. It is in the upper echelon of dental schools that receive high-level research projects such as National Science and Technology supported Plan Projects and National Natural Science Foundation Projects. In 2007, the school started publishing the e-journal Chinese Journal of Stomatological Research, whose influence has widened greatly in China so that it has become one of the Core Scientific and Technological Journals of China.
Contact
Tel: +86-20-83802805
Fax: +86-20-83822807
E-mail: gddent08@126.com
Webpage: http://www.zdkqyy.com
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology/Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center
Excellence in eye care and research in Southern China
Located at China's ‘southern gate-way’, the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center is pursuing the best in eye care and research.
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC) is affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University and is located in Guangzhou, China's third largest city and the ‘southern gateway’ to China. Since its inception in 1983, ZOC has become the number-one eye hospital in China and one of the largest eye centres in the world. It consists of three parts: the Eye Hospital, the Ophthalmologic Research Institute and the Preventive Ophthalmology Department.
ZOC is known for its major in quality clinical eye care and ophthalmic research. In 2015, ZOC managed 930,000 outpatient visits and more than 63,000 surgeries. ZOC has 196 consultant ophthalmologists and offers a full spectrum of tertiary subspecialty care for common and more complicated eye diseases.
Granted the status of State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology by China's Ministry of Science and Technology and being the only one of its kind in China, the State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology forms a major part of ZOC. It has an area of 6,500 square metres and is equipped with a wide range of research facilities. The laboratory recently launched an ambitious plan to renew and expand its research programme, being firmly committed to push the boundaries of in-novation and knowledge as far as it can. Its latest research areas include stem cell and developmental biology, genetics and gene therapy, vascular biology, neuroscience, and immunology.
Website: http://www.gzzoc.com
Roadmap for the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease
Sharing views on the establishment of the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease (SKLRD), its focus on discovery and innovation, and its plans to attract talented researchers to grow into a world-class laboratory.
Nanshan Zhong, director of SKLRD, professor at Guangzhou Medical University (GMU), academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
Ling Chen, executive vice director of SKLRD, professor at GMU, distinguished research fellow of Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health (GIBH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Zhong: Respiratory diseases are among the top three causes of death in China. The situation may worsen with the growing number of smokers and increasing air pollution. We need to better understand disease mechanisms and find better ways to prevent and treat these diseases. I was director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease (GIRD) of GMU during the SARS outbreak in 2003. With my colleagues, I led efforts to prevent and control the disease in Guangdong province. Our work gained national recognition and made the public aware of the importance of researching respiratory diseases. Hence, in 2005, I initiated a collaboration with GIBH to build a high-level joint laboratory of respiratory diseases. In 2007, we received approval and support from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology to establish a state-level key laboratory, which is the only national key laboratory for respiratory diseases.
Chen: The collaboration between GIRD-GMU and GIBH-CAS was a great success. It combines doing basic research with solving clinical needs. Within five years, we've developed into a leading research centre for respiratory diseases that integrates medical research, education and patient care.
Zhong: We aim to improve people's quality of life by advancing the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases. We are studying the epidemiology and its influencing factors to identify disease mechanisms and find new treatment and prevention modalities for respiratory diseases. Our research mainly focuses on emerging respiratory infectious diseases, bronchial asthma and chronic cough, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and lung cancer. Sharing the public's concern about air pollution in China, we are also studying the impact of PM2.5 pollution on respiratory health.
Chen: We are keen to address unmet medical needs and focus more on translational research, striving to apply basic research discoveries to effectively prevent and treat respiratory diseases. Since 2010, we have conducted more than 400 national, provincial and local research projects, have received around 130 patents, and have gained numerous awards for scientific and technological advances. In 2015 alone, SKLRD published 175 SCI papers. Some of the research represented leading advances in respiratory medicine, such as new etiology and management of COPD, a new mechanism and treatment for asthma, visualization of influenza virus infection in living mice, and new diagnostics for respiratory diseases.
Zhong: Talented scholars and experts play a key role in advancing our research. We have about 40 principal investigators and are looking to expand the team to 60 in the next three years. With generous research funding, well-established research platforms, advanced equipment and, most importantly, a culture of innovation, we've already recruited distinguished young scholars and experienced experts from home and abroad. This spring, we will expand our laboratory space to a newly renovated building in central Guangzhou. The Guangzhou Respiratory Centre, which will be Asia's largest, and likely the largest of its kind in the world, is being constructed. We invite highly talented scientists of all levels to join our endeavour to develop SKLRD into a world-leading research centre of respiratory diseases.
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, China (Guangzhou)
Seeking Talents to Lead Respiratory Research
Research disciplines: Focus on respiratory diseases and immunology, including but not limited to, respiratory infections and immunology, lung stem cell and regeneration, lung injury, COPD, asthma, lung cancer, allergy and bioinformatics with a focus on respiratory diseases.
Positions: Professor, associate professor, assistant professor.
Compensation package: Highly competitive salaries including housing subsidies, along with generous start-up funds.
Qualifications: Successful candidates must possess a PhD or MD degree and have publications in internationally peer-reviewed journals in past 5 years. Preference will be given to those with a strong background and successful experience in respiratory- or immunology-related basic research. Applicants should send a curriculum vitae, a one-page research proposal, PDF reprints of five representative publications to sklrddirector@gird.cn and taochen@gird.cn.
Online job link: http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/jobs/577841
Jinan University
An international university seeking to grow
A growing university provides a supportive environment for new researchers.
In pursuing its goal of becoming a high-level university, Jinan University (JNU) is continuously seeking to attract top-class researchers to enhance the competitiveness of its research. It will recruit young researchers from China and overseas through the Thousand Talents Plan. New researchers will be provided with support and training.
About Jinan University
Operated under the leadership of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, JNU has been nominated one of China's One Hundred Key Universities of the 21st Century in the 211 Project. As the first state university established for overseas Chinese students, JNU currently has the largest number of overseas students and a reputation for being the top university in China for overseas Chinese students. Abiding by the motto of “loyalty, sincerity, integrity and respect,” the university is committed to cultivating talented researchers who have an appreciation for traditional Chinese culture and ethics.
In June 2015, JNU was selected for the High-level University Construction Program by the Guangdong Provincial Government. The university has 27 colleges, which have a total of 62 departments, 188 research institutions and 77 laboratories. It offers 89 undergraduate majors, 189 master degree courses in 38 level-I and 5 level-II disciplines as well as 74 PhD courses in 15 level-I and 4 level- II disciplines. It also boasts 4 national key disciplines (industrial economics, aquatic biology, finance and literary theory), 8 key disciplines at the level of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, 20 provincial level-I key disciplines and 4 provincial level-II key disciplines.
The university has six teaching and research bases: a key research base for national humanities and social sciences, a teaching and research base for Chinese language and literature of the Education Ministry, a base for national university cultural quality education, a national base for teaching Chinese as a foreign language, an educational base for overseas Chinese education of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and a key research base for humanities and social science of Guangdong province. It also has one national engineering centre, 14 ministerial and provincial engineering centres, and 13 key ministerial and provincial laboratories.
To achieve its goal of becoming a high-level university, JNU is seeking to strengthen its capacity by attracting talented researchers. To this end, the university is recruiting members and candidates in China and overseas for the High-level Overseas Young Talents Program (also known as the Thousand Young Talents Program).
Disciplines accepting applicants
The following fields are open for applications: optical engineering, information and communication engineering, electronic science and technology, science of Chinese pharmacology, pharmacy, biology, biomedical engineering, ecology, environmental science and engineering, basic medicine, clinical medicine, integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, oral medicine, public health and preventive medicine, nursing, mechanics, cyberspace security, computer science and technology, software engineering, mathematics, chemistry, materials science and engineering, food science and engineering, and physics.
Basic requirements
Members and candidates of the Thousand Young Talents Program (not including candidates for the discipline of finance) should meet the following requirements:
• Agree to abide by China's laws and regulations and have high academic ethical standards.
• Be under 40 years of age on June 1, 2016 if applying for fields in natural science and engineering technology.
• Have a doctoral degree and more than three years of experience doing research or working overseas (does not include working overseas while employed in China). Applicants with a doctoral degree from China should be under 40 years of age. (Applicants who obtained a doctoral degree abroad may be over 40 if they have outstanding research performance and other great achievements; they will need to include a letter explaining why they should be considered.)
• Have a permanent teaching or research position at a prestigious overseas university, research institution or company.
• Not hold a full-time position in China at the time of application (but if they do, it should be for less than one year after they returned from overseas.)
• Should be available to work full time in China on acceptance.
• Should be higher performers in their research field and have the potential to become leaders in that field.
Salary and benefits
JNU will provide accepted members and candidates of Thousand Young Talents Program with a competitive package of salary and benefits based on the job position.
Benefits for members of the Thousand Young Talents Program include:
• Salary: no less than 500,000 RMB per year (before tax).
• Supporting funds for research: 1,000,000–3,000,000 RMB.
• Housing/settling allowance: no less than 2,000,000 RMB (before tax).
• Direct employment as senior professionals.
• Priority when recruiting PhD students, post-doctoral researchers and research assistants.
• Assistance with securing children's entry to kindergartens, primary schools and middle schools in Guangzhou.
• One-stop service for high-level researchers.
• Assistance with finding work for spouses.
• Entitlement to a national government subsidy of 500,000 RMB and a research fund ranging from 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 RMB (on ratification, it will be allocated according to schedule). Guangdong province will grant a supportive fund at a ratio of 1.5:1 to the one granted by the national government.
Candidates who successfully pass the university review process can sign an intent of employment contract and apply for membership in the Thousand Young Talents Program under the name of Jinan University. Candidates who have entered the defense session are entitled to the following salary and benefits:
• Salary: no less than 400,000 RMB per year (before tax).
• Supporting funds for research: no less than 1,000,000 RMB.
• Housing/settling allowance: no less than 1,000,000 RMB (before tax).
• Priority when recruiting PhD students, post-doctoral researchers and research assistants.
• Assistance with securing children's entry to kindergartens, primary schools and middle schools in Guangzhou.
• One-stop service for high-level researchers.
• Members enrolled in the Thousand Talents Program are entitled to all the pay and benefits offered by the university to members of this programme.
Materials to be submitted for application:
• A curriculum vitae;
• A list of research projects, publications (specifying their SCI, EI, SSCI, and CSSCI indices as well as journal impact factors and citation frequencies) and awards for the last five years;
• Copies of academic certificates and diplomas and copies of certificates for all research projects, awards and patents;
• The full text of five representative papers;
• A copy of a certificate or evidence for holding a position abroad or holding an important position in China;
• A plan for research on joining JNU.
This advertisement is valid indefinitely. Electronic copies of all the abovementioned materials are required at the time of application. Please send them to otalents@jnu.edu.cn.
Contact
Mr. Tong and Mr. Liu
Home page of Personnel Department, Jinan University: personal.jnu.edu.cn
E-mail: otalents@jnu.edu.cn
Tel: 0086-20-85227283 (fax available) 0086-20-85223525
Address: 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
South China University of Technology
Exceptional young and talented researchers sought
Young researchers with strong records are encouraged to join South China University of Technology.
South China University of Technology (SCUT) was established in 1952. It has been selected for Project 211 and Project 985. SCUT well knows the importance of recruiting and nurturing talented scholars to a university striving to become one of the best in its class in China and highly respected in the academic world. Thus, people with strong teaching and research records are invited to work at SCUT and help it achieve this goal.
Recruitment Program of Global Youth Experts (a national programme)
Applicants are expected to:
• have research experience in natural sciences or engineering;
• be under 40 years of age;
• have a doctorate from an accredited overseas university, with at least three years of experience working overseas in research or education; or have received a doctorate from a recognized Chinese university, with at least three years of experience working overseas in research or education; or be experts at top overseas universities, research institutes or companies;
• be academic leaders or potential leaders in their area of expertise.
Recent PhD graduates with strong research records and scientists with distinguished academic achievements may be considered even if they do not meet the above requirements regarding age and working experience.)
Applications will be assessed by the programme director and approved by the university. Applicants should then be available to work full time.
Salary and benefits include:
• Research funding: 1,500,000–3,000,000 RMB from the national programme and 500,000 RMB from Guangdong province.
• Housing benefit: 500,000 RMB (after tax) from the national programme and 250,000 RMB (after tax) from Guangdong province.
In addition, SCUT will provide:
• Research funding: 1,500,000 RMB.
• Annual salary: at least 400,000 RMB (before tax).
• Housing benefit: 800,000 RMB home acquisition allowance (before tax) or on-campus housing and 50,000 RMB relocation expenses (monthly rent to be paid).
Extraordinary Talent Recruitment Project (a university programme)
Applicants are expected to:
• Be under 50 years of age and be an associate professor or professor at a top overseas university or research or technical experts at a top overseas institute or company;
• Be under 40 years of age and have worked at least three years overseas in research or education and have a strong academic background;
• Be available to work full time.
Salary and benefits
• Research and development funding: humanities, social studies, economics, business management, 300,000–1,500,000 RMB; science and engineering, 500,000–3,000,000 RMB; applied science and engineering, 700,000–6,000,000 RMB; technical development, 5,000,000 RMB or above.
• Housing benefit: 300,000–600,000 RMB home acquisition allowance (before tax), 150,000–200,000 RMB housing allowance (before tax); or on-campus housing and 50,000 RMB relocation expenses (monthly rent to be paid).
To assist qualified researchers to adapt to the academic environment of SCUT, support is provided for matters such as applying for temporary or permanent residency, visas, health insurance and schooling for children.
Contact
Tel: +86-20-87110072
E-mail: rscrcb@scut.edu.cn
Address: Room 308, Personnel Office, South China University of Technology
381 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, China, 510640
Web: http://www.scut.edu.cn
South China Normal University
Seeking outstanding scholars and researchers
South China Normal University is building on its strong research base by introducing and cultivating talents.
Established in 1933, South China Normal University is located in Guangzhou, Guangdong. It is co-constructed by the Ministry of Education of China and the People's Government of Guangdong Province and is a member of the National Project 211. It was selected as a key construction university in the Guangdong High Level Universities Program. The university boasts three campuses whose total area exceeds 200 hectares. It has 24,998 undergraduates, 7,312 master students, 821 doctoral students, 98 postdoctoral researchers and over 1,000 overseas students. It is thus cultivating talents at all levels: bachelor, master, doctoral and postdoctoral.
Focusing on cultivating talented researchers, South China Normal University attaches great importance to building a strong faculty. Through its strategy of attracting and fostering researchers, it has succeeded in attracting a great number of outstanding experts. South China Normal University has 1,934 full-time teaching staff, 1,098 of whom are at least associate professors or associate researchers. The university has 12 disciplines: philosophy, economics, law, education, literature, history, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, management and art. Four subjects (chemistry, plant and animal science, engineering and mathematics) are ranked in the top 1% globally by Thomson Reuters' Essential Science Indicators.
With a large number of laboratories and scientific research centres, South China Normal University is well equipped to perform cutting-edge research as well as high-level academic study. The university's overall strength is among the best of China's normal universities and local key universities. South China Normal University is striving to become a first-class comprehensive normal university that is well known both in China and globally.
Looking to future growth
To attract talented teachers and researchers, the university is recruiting candidates for academic positions in physics, optical engineering, optics, condensed-matter physics, electrical and information engineering, material physics and science, plant science, animal science, aquaculture, aquatic organisms, entomology, rare animals, physiological ecology, macroecology, neuroscience, bioinformatics, mathematics, chemistry, environment and materials, physical geography, human geography, and the theory and application of remote sensing and geographic information systems.
High-level academic leaders
Candidates, preferably under 50 years old, should be qualified for entry into national top talents programmes such as the Chang Jiang Scholars Program, the Recruitment Program of Global Experts, and China National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists. Successful applicants will be offered full-time positions at the university.
Outstanding young scholars
Candidates should preferably be listed in or have qualified for the National Thousand Young Talent Program, the Top Young Talents of National Special Support Program or the Science Foundation for Excellent Young Scholars. They should be good team players and have good leadership ability, outstanding academic achievements, a broad academic vision, experience with international collaboration and the potential to become leading researchers.
Salary and fringe benefits
Successful applicants will receive a highly competitive salary, a generous housing allowance, a start-up research fund commensurate with their current expertise, temporary accommodation, and pre-schooling and schooling for children.
Application procedure
Send a full resume, copies of academic credentials and a publication list with abstracts of selected published papers together with the names of three referees to the Human Resources Office of the South China Normal University.
Contact
Ms. Chen
Phone: +86-13711170336
E-mail: recruit@m.scnu.edu.cn
Web: http://www.scnu.edu.cn
Guangzhou Science, Technology and Innovation Commission
Making big strides in scientific and technological innovation
2015 was a year of change and of important scientific and technological breakthroughs in Guangzhou. The city is seeking to accelerate economic development by enhancing policy and funding support for scientific and technological innovations.
Guangzhou Municipal Government strongly believes that promoting science and technology leads to economic and social development. In line with this conviction, the Guangzhou Science, Technology and Innovation Commission is highly committed to promoting scientific and technological innovation. It is seeking to enhance the integration of science and technology with areas such as industry, finance, intellectual property, human resources, people's livelihoods and international cooperation. Furthermore, the commission has implemented plans to develop incubators and boost financial funding for science and technology, while allowing the market to play a decisive role in allocating resources through key projects for developing high-tech enterprises, science and technology finance, and the National Innovation Demonstration Zone.
Key measures taken by the Guangzhou Municipal Government include:
Creating a conducive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship
Guangzhou was ranked as the second most favorable environment for innovation and entrepreneurship among mainland Chinese cities (excluding the four municipalities) in a 2015 survey conducted by Tsinghua University TusPark Research Institute for Innovation. It is home to the Tianhe-2 supercomputer, which has been ranked as the world's fastest for six consecutive years according to the TOP500 list. Moreover, 13 enterprises in Guangzhou were listed among China's top-50 most innovative companies by the Chinese version of Fast Company, a leading American business magazine.
Issuing key policies for science and technology development
Guangzhou Municipal Government has implemented the ‘1 + 9’ series of scientific and technological innovation policies to form an all-round policy system for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. The new policies cover areas such as transferring scientific and technological advances, attracting and motivating talented scientists and financing technology.
Emphasizing enterprises as key players in innovation
Support for science and technology covers the initiation, growth and development stages of enterprise development. In particular, plans for developing ‘little giant’ enterprises in scientific and technological innovation and incubating high-tech enterprises are being adopted. The government is implementing policies to subsidize enterprises that invest in research and development.
Promoting mass entrepreneurship and innovation
The city of Guangzhou has set up more than 50 makerspaces and is cultivating teams and enterprises to effectively drive coordinated development of crowd support, crowdsourcing, crowdfunding and crowd innovation. These platforms are important for encouraging business start-ups and innovation in Guangzhou and the surrounding region.
Leveraging the financing of science and technology
In 2015, six science and technology-focused branch banks were established in Guangzhou. These banks provide about eight billion RMB credit to nearly 600 companies.
In 2016, the Guangzhou Science, Technology and Innovation Commission is continuing to advance innovation. It is focusing on building carriers of innovation, introducing and cultivating enterprises as key market players and fostering a supportive environment for innovation. Guangzhou has built the Guangzhou Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, Guangzhou Science Town, Pazhou Internet Innovation Cluster, Biological Island and the University City. Based on the existing infrastructure, Guangzhou is creating a corridor of science and technology innovation and setting up an innovation demonstration zone along the Pearl River. It will contribute to the spawning of other high-tech innovation hubs in China.
Contact
Address: No. 4 Bldg, No. 1, Fuqian Road, Yuexiu District Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
Website: http://www.gzsi.gov.cn
Wanglaoji
A 188-year journey of internationalization and technological renovation
From humble beginnings as a local herbal tea shop in Guangzhou to a globally recognized symbol of China, Wanglaoji is promoting herbal tea culture in the world through preserving tradition and advancing technology.
Originating in southern China's Guangdong province, herbal teas are infusions made from Chinese medicinal herbs. They are natural therapies that represent the essence of traditional Chinese medicine. First sold on the streets of Guangdong in 1828, Wanglaoji is now recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest brand of Chinese herbal tea. Its herbal teas are popular in China and have become a symbol of China that is recognized around the world.
A name granted by Lin Zexu
Legend has it that, after the herbal tea cured his sunstroke in 1839, imperial envoy Lin Zexu sent a copper pot shaped in the form of a guard as a gift to the shop owner and granted the name Wanglaoji (see image).
The tea's reputation has since spread widely. When Liang Qichao, a Chinese scholar, went to the United States in 1898, he noted in his book that Americans were very interested in traditional Chinese medicine and that Wanglaoji, a street drink in Guangdong, had become a luxury drink, selling for US$5–10.
Today, the herbal tea is sold as a canned drink. Wanglaoji has been innovating to meet changing consumer tastes and needs.
Collaborating with a Nobel Prize winner
The brand value of Wanglaoji is now evaluated to be around 108 billion RMB. In accordance with the strategic plan to promote the health industry by its mother company, Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Holdings Co. Ltd, Wanglaoji led the charge in health products, realizing near double-digit revenue growth in 2015. Based on this excellent sales growth, sales for 2017 are estimated to reach 30 billion RMB.
The company has been making great strides in technological innovation. In collaboration with Ferid Murad, co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Wanglaoji has launched research projects on setting international standards for herbal teas. In 2014, the company pioneered the use of cutting-edge DNA barcoding technology for identifying herbal drink ingredients and it created DNA identities for the ingredients used in its herbal teas. Wanglaoji is also the first herbal tea company to participate in China's 863 Program (a national high-tech research and development plan sponsored by the Chinese government); in this programme, it is systematically studying the health effects of herbal tea products.
The more than century old brand is rejuvenating with a marketing strategy centred on fashion, culture and technology. From the announcement of the ‘Super Ji+’ (Ji means lucky in Chinese) strategy to educational products such as movies and online television series, Wanglaoji is enhancing its interaction with young consumers, displaying vitality and rejuvenation of the traditional herbal tea brand.
Entering the global market
Wanglaoji's journey of internationalization started in early nineteenth century. Now exporting to more than 50 countries and regions, Wanglaoji has footprints on five continents. On New Year's Day in 2016, Wanglaoji made its debut at the New York Times Square, sending new year greetings to people around the world. Furthermore, to promote Chinese and herbal tea culture, the company plans to open 56 herbal tea museums around the world.
Consistent technological renovation over the last 188 years has enabled Wanglaoji to achieve excellence in its herbal teas. Through cultural promotion, the top Chinese herbal tea brand is leading the development of the industry in China and the world.
Contact
Website: http://brand.wljhealth.com
KingMed Centre for Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd
Guarding customers' health by serving with heart
Every minute of the day, KingMed staff members are serving at strategic positions. Whether collecting samples, testing samples or issuing reports, KingMed employees show their commitment to clients' health through wholehearted service and an innovative spirit.
Located on the International Bio-Island of Guangzhou in South China, Guangzhou KingMed Centre for Clinical Laboratory Co., Ltd (KingMed) is China's pioneer in independent clinical laboratories. Major businesses of the company include medical testing, clinical trials, hygiene testing and forensic testing.
Officially founded in 2003, KingMed has a core management team, which has been exploring medical testing outsourcing since 1994 and has garnered rich experience in the field. With nearly 7,000 staff members and 31 laboratories spread across mainland China and Hong Kong, KingMed tops the market in China in terms of scale of operations, number of laboratories, numbers of customers and service network size. Having achieved annual sales growth rates of over 30% for three consecutive years, KingMed has a market share of more than 20% for independent clinical laboratories in China.
The primary goal of KingMed is to understand and meet clinical demands. KingMed constructed its core technological system by cultivating a group of professionals and talented scientists and engaging them in high-end technological innovation. As one of the largest and most comprehensive medical institutions to provide medical testing services in China, KingMed can provide more than 2,200 testing items for clinical practice and scientific research. Accredited by the College of American Pathologists and ISO 15189, KingMed's testing reports are accepted in more than 50 countries and regions around the world.
KingMed's service covers 90% of China's provinces, autonomous regions, special administrative regions and municipalities, providing medical testing outsourcing services for over 16,000 medical institutions and collecting up to 40 million test samples annually. The scale of its service network permits KingMed to provide door-to-door service to villages, towns and communities, delivering 80% of test reports within 24 hours. Through upscaling logistics services, laboratory construction and management consulting, KingMed has become the leading holistic solution supplier for clinical testing and pathology in China.
Leveraging its extensive service network, high-quality testing capabilities and massive test data, KingMed is innovating the ‘testing+’ development strategy to expand its clinical testing platforms, with the aim of achieving crossover and fusion in the field of big health. Targeting precision medicine, the company will continue to use its expertise in medical testing and diversify business models upstream and downstream of the industry chain. By further enhancing the value of its test data, KingMed will establish a platform for sharing, referencing and applying big data in biomedicine. KingMed is also actively building the online-to-offline closed-loop service pattern to explore business-to-consumer models in the digital era. Furthermore, KingMed is striving to provide integrated healthcare solutions for forensics science, clinical testing, health, testing of food and medicine, environmental monitoring and cold-chain logistics for a wide range of institutions and consumers.
Contact
E-mail: brand@kingmed.com.cn
Tel: 0086 020 22283222
Fax: 0086 020 22283223
Website: http://www.kingmed.com.cn
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Spotlight on Guangzhou. Nature (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nj0483
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nj0483
