NUI Galway has signed an agreement with
Nanjing University in China to establish an institute of Chinese and Regenerative Medicine.
The new Confucius Institute will integrate eastern and western practices, including Chinese and regenerative medicine, into medical research.
The agreement was inked at a signing ceremony at NUI Galway with the
Chinese Vice-Minister for Education, the Ambassador of China in Ireland and Mayor of Galway Niall McNelis.
This Confucius Institute marks the formalising of collaborative ties with Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine.
Research done there will aim to identify regenerative properties of Chinese medicines including the effects on stem cell biology to help find new treatments for conditions of unmet clinical need such as diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases.
Professor Tim O’Brien, Dean of Medicine at NUI Galway said “Global education, scientific research and clinical trials of Chinese Medicine are all needed to enable a worldwide translation of Chinese Medical products.”
“Chinese Medicine has therapeutic effects for many conditions with unmet medical needs,” he added.
This centre at NUI Galway will teach Chinese Medicine, but at the same time a deep research programme will also seek to identify the active products in those medicines.
This new agreement follows on from already established cooperation between NUI Galway’s regenerative medicine institute, REMEDI and the Nanjing University (NJUCM).
President of NUI Galway Prof Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said that NUI Galway has had a strong academic relationship with China since Ireland began diplomatic ties 40 years ago.
“Today we work with Chinese partners across a range of areas and we host 165 Chinese students on campus,” he said.
He went on to say that traditional medicines are a treasure of Chinese culture and this institute will use that knowledge as it “uniquely combines the medical and scientific traditions of East and West.”
He hoped that scientists from NUI Galway and China working together will “develop innovative treatments to improve healthcare for humankind”.
