Healthy outlook thanks to new science center

A health science center was inaugurated at the East China Normal University over the weekend.

Guan Youfei, honorary director of the center, said it will give priority to high-end talent cultivation and set up sub-centers for preclinical medicine, clinical medicine, translational medicine, public health and other research institutions and affiliated hospitals.

The preclinical center will include a preclinical research institute to build up related disciplines and establish platforms for cooperation among staff at the university to work on key scientific projects and enhance cross-disciplinary research.

The clinical center will connect its own development with the national strategy of the development of the Yangtze River Delta region. 

It will develop several affiliated hospitals for medical research and education and aim to set up a health science education alliance in the region. 

In response to challenges brought about by new technologies, such as big data and artificial intelligence, it will research new health service types, such as online hospitals, and build up a digital medical sharing platform in cooperation with governments, enterprises and medical institutions.

It also aims to explore schemes for the highly efficient allocation of medical intelligence, health data and medical resources, and build up an ecological network for digital medical education, research and clinical services.

The translational medicine center will focus on the prevention of high-rate diseases among seniors and children and promote cooperation among hospitals, research institutes and enterprises to transfer research findings to clinical applications.

The public health center will address practical problems in the public health area and enhance related research, providing preferences for governments to make decisions in fields including public health management and health risk prevention and treatment. 

It will also strengthen cooperation with top universities and medical institutions around the world and play an active role in solving hot issues in global public health area. Another part of its mission is to cultivate talented staff in public health, hospital management and medical education and training.

Before the inauguration of the health science center, the university signed an agreement with the government of Changning District last year to jointly develop the maternity and childcare hospital and mental health center affiliated to the university. It’s first medical major – hearing and speech rehabilitation – was approved by the Ministry of Education in March.

At the inauguration ceremony, the plate of Wuhu Hospital Affiliated to East China Normal University, in Wuhu City of Anhui Province, was unveiled, along with the plates of other joint centers in cooperation with other partners. These include the advanced institute of modern Traditional Chinese Medicine with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the brain and behavior research and assessment center with Huadong Sanatorium.

The university also signed an agreement with INESA Intelligent Tech Inc to cooperate in online medical services.

A symposium was also held over the weekend where experts discussed topics including “Innovation and development in medical education against the new challenges in public health,” “Opportunities and challenges in public health” and “Online medical services and future hospitals.”