Source: SYSU-JHU Collaboration Workgroup
Written by: Li Liying
Edited by: Wang Dongmei
Since SYSU and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) signed cooperation agreement on clinical research in March 2013, the 2-year collaboration of stage 1 has progressed smoothly. From March 25 to March 31, 2014, the JHU delegation came to Guangzhou and carried out a series of academic activities at SYSU. The JHU delegation consisted of 21 experts and faculty members including Adrian Dobs, David Friedman, Zhiping Li, Sanjay Desai, Isabel Green and Weidong Gao.
On March 25-26, the workshop named “Perspectives on Academic Medical Center” was held on North Campus to exchange information and opinions on two different medical systems of the U.S. and China and discuss potential further cooperation between the two universities. The workshop had three themes: medical training, quality and safety of clinical service, and hospital operation. Speakers from JHU and SYSU gave excellent lectures and discussed with the audiences. SYSU Vice President Li Mengfeng, clinicians and administrative staff in SYSU affiliated hospitals attended the workshop.
Panel discussion in the workshop “Perspectives on Academic Medical Center”
From March 27 to March 31, the five-day courses for clinical investigators and coordinators were held successfully, for the second time according to the collaboration plan. Totally 59 investigators, research nurses and coordinators from SYSU affiliated hospitals took part in the site-courses, which were intensive and duplicated ones of the JHU courses. At the same time, the collaboration workgroup held visiting scholarship interviews to choose scholars from SYSU to study in JHU, including clinical investigators, methodology scholars, organizational leaders and train-the-trainers, who will play an important role in the development of clinical research at SYSU in the future.
Opening ceremony for the clinical research course
Since last November, the JHU delegation has made a preliminary but comprehensive assessment on the clinical research infrastructure of SYSU including the affiliated hospitals. During the one week visit, SYSU-JHU collaboration workgroup organized five report representation meetings at lunch time, and each day JHU experts presented a special topic of assessment, such as global structure, IRB (institutional review board) and ethics, research funding and human resource management, coordinator training, medical information and biospecimen bank and so on. Leaders and administrative staff in SYSU and its affiliated hospitals attended the meetings and discussed with the assessors. Vice President Li Mengfeng said that SYSU has commitment and dedication to construct an international and centralized center and platform for clinical and translational research, and SYSU will consider to improve the infrastructure construction according to JHU report.
Assessment report presentation
Besides, during the weekend a two-day course on medical ethics and research integrity was offered to the members of IRB and related faculty in SYSU affiliated hospitals, with the aim to provide professional training and strengthen the operation and monitor ability of IRB. The course was well received by the attendees.
With efforts from JHU and many departments of SYSU, this series of academic programs described above proceeded well and finished perfectly. According to the working schedule, in the second half of this year, the JHU delegation will come to SYSU again to deepen and expand the cooperation between the two institutes.
