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Agreement on a joint research centre for innovative TCM-based drugs inked

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  (From right) UM Rector Wei Zhao, NTU President Prof. Si-chen Lee, PKU President Prof. Zhou Qifeng and HKU Vice-Chancellor and President Prof. Lap-Chee Tsui sign the agreement, signalling an official start of cooperation among the four universities in developing innovative TCM-based drugs.
 

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Vice Chairman of NPC Standing Committee Mr. Han Qide delivers a speech

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     UM Rector Wei Zhao (middle) talks with Mr. Han Qide (1st from right)

An agreement on the establishment of a joint research centre for innovative drugs based on traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) was signed today (13 February) in Beijing by Peking University (PKU), Taiwan University (NTU), the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and the University of Macau (UM). The purpose of the joint research centre is to combine academic and research strengths of the four universities in order to develop innovative TCM-based drugs and health products of world-class quality. The centre is expected to make full use of UM’s research and personnel strengths to develop innovative TCM-based drugs.     

Several government officials, including Vice Chairmen of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee Mr. Han Qide and Mr. Sang Guowei, Vice Minister of Health Mr. Liu Qian, and Vice Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Wang Weizhong, as well as over two hundred scholars from the four universities attended the ceremony and witnessed the signing of this landmark agreement. President of PKU Prof. Zhou Qifeng, President of NTU Prof. Si-chen Lee, Vice-Chancellor and President of HKU Prof. Lap-Chee Tsui, and Rector of UM Prof. Wei Zhao signed the agreement on behalf of their respective universities.

Mr. Han Qide stressed that in spite of the variance in governance system, educational philosophy, teaching and research focus, the four universities share the common hope that the Chinese people can hold its own ground in the world; and to achieve that goal, the four universities should build on their fine traditions, brave various difficulties, and work together to develop innovative TCM-based drugs.

UM Rector Wei Zhao noted that the joint efforts of the SAR government and UM over the past decade in Chinese medicine research have laid a solid foundation for UM to collaborate with advanced universities, and the signing of this agreement is recognition of the efforts of the SAR government, UM and the community. Rector Wei Zhao added that the joint research centre will make full use of the unique advantages of Macao as well as the perfect platform of the new campus to allow Macao to play an important role in developing innovation TCM-based drugs. Wei Zhao said that while fully utilizing its strengths in Chinese medicine, UM will continue to expand relevant research, establish a faculty of health, and step up teaching, research and community service, to advance the development of the Macao society and industrial diversification.

A meeting will be held at UM next month to discuss the establishment of a joint research platform of the centre.

For enquiries, please contact Ms. Albee Lei at (853) 8397 4325 or albeelei@um.edu.mo or visit UM’s webpage www.umac.mo.
 


13/02/2012