On August 18, 2016 Virogin Biotech Ltd. ("Virogin") reported its strategic collaboration with Guangdong University of Technology (GDUT) in China (Press release, Virogin Biotech, AUG 18, 2016, View Source [SID1234518864]).
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The first step of such collaboration is the Joint Research Lab on Virotherapy, which will be located in Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at GDUT. The Institute is a newly established faculty at GDUT equipped with brand new laboratories for translational research. The lab will focus primarily on oncolytic virology and cancer immunology, and is expected to be fully functional by October 2016.
Guangdong University of Technology is a key provincial university in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. The university offers a wide range of courses in engineering, science, technology, management, liberal arts and law; and it has the privilege to confer Doctor’s, Master’s, and Bachelor’s degrees. It has played an active role in international scientific research and cultural cooperation and exchanges.
Guangdong University of Technology
The objectives of Virogin’s strategic collaboration with GDUT are 1) to facilitate and bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application; 2) to establish a platform for technical exchange and resource pooling; and 3) to further academic research and development by combining Virogin’s experience and expertise in the field with GDUT’s strong research capabilities and cutting-edge infrastructure.
Dr. Wen Tan, Dean of Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at GDUT, expressed his excitement and vision for the future of the joint lab, "Oncolytic virology and cancer immunology are the emerging trends in the biomedical world. As the Dean, it is my responsibilities to provide our students with the most up-to-date knowledge and exposure. As for our partner, Virogin Biotech is a very promising company in this field with a strong R&D team and an experienced management team. Its CSO Dr. William Jia is not only one of the pioneers in the field of oncolytic virology with over 20 years of research experience, but also the ideal person to facilitate such collaboration, because as a professor at UBC he would be able to better understand and bring together academia and industry. Ultimately through our collaboration with Virogin Biotech, we wish to establish a world-class research facility in virotherapy."
Virogin Biotech’s Co-founders – CSO Dr. William Jia and CEO Mr. Chris Huang also indicated their high expectation for the collaboration, "Guangdong University of Technology is a well-known and well-respected university in China that also actively involves in international scientific research collaboration. The Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, despite being new, has very strong research capabilities with state-of-the-art research facilities and infrastructure. With our company’s active involvement, we expect to pool resources together, while sharing our years of experience and expertise in oncology and virotherapy. We’ve already recruited several talented PhDs globally to carry out post-doctoral studies in the field at this lab. We believe by combining our strengths, we will be able to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes; and ultimately, reaching significant scientific breakthroughs that would benefit the world."
Virogin‘s Co-founders Dr. William Jia and Mr. Chris Huang, accompanying Dr. Wen Tan, Dean of GDUT’s Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at Dr. Jia‘s research lab at UBC.