On April 15, 2024, a strategic cooperation framework agreement was signed between Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) at SYSU’s Shenzhen Campus. The two organizations will work together on significant scientific and technological issues in the biomedical sector, with the goal of establishing a premier center that combines education, technology, and talent, while promoting the growth of the biomedical industry in China’s Greater Bay Area. Attendees of the event included Nieng Yan, Founding President of SMART, Huan Tu, SMART Vice President, Gaosong Xiao, President of SYSU, and Xie Shi, SYSU Vice President, among other prominent leaders. The agreement was signed by Ying Tan, SMART Vice President, and Qinghua Yang, SYSU Executive Vice President, representing their respective institutions.

Under the agreement, SMART and SYSU will lead the way in creating innovative mechanisms for education-research integration grounded in the principles of “collaborative development, complementarity, resource sharing, and mutual benefit.” The collaboration will enhance joint efforts in scientific research, shared faculty roles, student education, resource exchange, technology transfer, and advanced international partnerships, collectively advancing the quality growth of the biomedical industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement Signing Ceremony

(Front row, left to right): Qinghua Yang, Ying Tan

(Back row, left to right): Xie Shi, Gaosong Xiao, Nieng Yan, Huan Tu

During the ceremony, Professor Nieng Yan highlighted SYSU's distinguished history as the birthplace of Western medical education in China, with its affiliated hospitals serving as the backbone of healthcare in the Greater Bay Area. She noted that SMART, located across the street from SYSU’s Shenzhen Campus in the Guangming Science City, focuses on addressing critical health challenges, building cross-institutional and interdisciplinary collaborations, and fostering rapid growth as a cutting-edge research force. Yan expressed that the institutions’ geographic proximity and complementary strengths pave the way for a robust and promising partnership.

Professor Gaosong Xiao, President of SYSU, emphasized the seamless connection between the two institutions, as they are both situated in the Guangming Science City. He remarked that this collaboration builds upon existing ties, including earlier cooperation between SYSU and Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, and signifies a pivotal moment for deeper engagement. Xiao conveyed optimism that this collaboration would lead to groundbreaking progress in biomedicine, enhancing the biomedical sector in the Greater Bay Area and across the country.

SMART, which was initiated on October 11, 2023, is a biomedical research institute approved by the central government of China. It combines extensive medical research, talent development, and technology transfer.

This year, SYSU celebrates its centennial anniversary. SYSU has a significant history and remarkable strengths in biomedicine, with campuses located in Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Shenzhen. The Shenzhen Campus is home to the School of Medicine, the School of Public Health (Shenzhen), the School of Pharmacy (Shenzhen), and the School of Biomedical Engineering. It also encompasses the Seventh and Eighth Affiliated Hospitals along with specialized platforms such as the Shenzhen Center for Experimental Animals and the Medical Science Public Platform (Shenzhen Campus). SYSU’s Shenzhen Campus builds on 150 years of medical education tradition, with a strong emphasis on developing new disciplines and integrating medicine with engineering.

This strategic cooperation will empower SMART and Shenzhen Bay Laboratory to become world-class centers for biomedical innovation and R&D. Simultaneously, it will provide strong support for SYSU’s comprehensive efforts to achieve high-quality, world-class development with Chinese characteristics.

After the signing ceremony, Professor Nieng Yan provided an academic lecture to students and faculty at SYSU. Her captivating and witty presentation, which offered a thorough summary of her lab’s activities over the last ten years, attracted a full auditorium and frequent applause, as she conveyed scientific findings paired with personal anecdotes from her rich research experience.