Experimental medicine institute established in Shanghai

The Shanghai Experimental Medical Research Institute was officially launched on Wednesday.

The institute was established by the Shanghai Center for Clinical Laboratory, along with partner hospitals, research facilities and technology companies to break barriers between each for joint research and scientific study, according to the Shanghai Health Commission.

It will become an innovative platform to strength the city’s capability in public health, clinical research, product development, talent training and clinical guidance promotion as well as a rare disease diagnosis center in the Yangtze River Delta region.

According to Qin Jing, vice director of the Shanghai Health Commission, the novel coronavirus epidemic has brought experimental medicine into the spotlight. Nucleic acid and antibody tests are all important measures in experimental medicine used for diagnosis and treatment. They were also important for the recovery of the economy and normal social life.

“Research and development of experimental medicine is not only meaningful to the coronavirus epidemic but also other new infectious diseases. It is important for clinical medicine and basic medicine,” Qin said.

With China still lagging in testing technology, product innovation, development and raw materials, the institute is meant to pool medical resources for quicker research, innovation and product development.

Focusing on the cutting edge of biopharmaceutical medicine and research development, the institute will target major human diseases, infectious diseases and complicated diseases to solve technical tasks in line with demands from public health and clinical medicine development. It will enhance research and industrialization of new materials, new technologies, new methods and new equipment to speed up the introduction of innovative achievements into manufacturing and marketing, officials said.