For over ten years, academics within the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences have collaborated closely with colleagues at Fudan University in Shanghai to share research expertise in infection and immunity.
Since its formation in 2014, the Melbourne - Fudan partnership has undertaken successful research collaborations, supported the exchange and mentorship of PhD candidates and early career scholars, and helped improve health outcomes for patients and communities across China.
Bringing leading medical and health scholars to combat prevailing global diseases
A key platform of the Melbourne-Fudan partnership is the Sino-Australia Joint Laboratory for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease Research formed by the University of Melbourne’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre (SPHCC) at Fudan University.
The joint laboratory, alongside long-term collaborations with the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, brings together world-leading experts in viral immunology and infections to address life-threatening and fatal diseases in high-risk populations, including pandemic, avian and seasonal influenza. Melbourne-Fudan health and medical collaboration also extends to joint research into Legionnaires' disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), bacteria biofilm and genome sequencing.
Proven multi-faceted partnership track record
Since its formation in 2014, SPHCC-affiliated researchers have been successful across a range of initiatives including:
- Co-publication of eight articles in respected international journals, including Nature Communications, PNAS and JCI Insight
- Supporting and mentoring an extensive exchange of PhD and postdoctoral students
- Attracting joint research grants from the National Health and Medical Research Fund in Australia and a range of Chinese funding organisations
- Conducting influential joint workshops from 2014–2017.
Building on a strong foundation into the future
With the experience gained over ten years, the Melbourne and Fudan research partners working within the Sino-Australia Joint Laboratory for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease, are committed to continuing to consolidate and build on their success.
The laboratory will foster collaborative research in infectious diseases, co-publish research breakthroughs in international health and medical journals, and strengthen the successful student and postdoctoral exchange program.