The visit of a delegation from the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Beijing CDC) was hosted by Professor Tao Dong, Ita Askonas Professor of Translational Immunology (Nuffield Department of Medicine), Principal Investigator at the MRC Translational Immune Discovery Unit (Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine) and Director of the COI. This visit highlights the shared commitment of both institutions to global health and human well-being, as they join forces to combat emerging infectious diseases of global concern. Focussing on respiratory virus, flavivirus, Monkeypox virus and HIV infections. The visit also facilitated the exchange of pandemic response experiences, marking a significant step toward potential future collaborations.
The Beijing CDC delegation included Mr. Chun Huang, Chief Physician and Director General of Beijing CDC; Mr. Quanyi Wang, Vice Director General of Beijing CDC; Ms. Jie Li, Chief Technician and Deputy Director of Institute for STD/AIDS Prevention and Control; Mr. Da Huo, Associate Professor, Institute for Infectious Disease and Endemic Disease Control; Mr. Zhaomin Feng, Research Associate, Institute for Infectious Disease and Endemic Disease Control and Ms. Ying Shen, Research Associate, Beijing Office of Center for Global Health.
In addition to Professor Tao Dong, NDM was represented by Professor Richard Cornall, Head of Department; Sir Professor Andrew McMichael, Professor of Molecular Medicine, FRS, FMedSci; Professor Geoffrey L Smith, Virologist, FRS, FMedSci, Former Chair of the WHO Advisory Committee on variola virus research; and Professor Miles Carroll, Former Deputy Director, Head of Research at Public Health England.
Both UK and China have successfully managed multiple outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases in recent times. This meeting provided both parties with a valuable opportunity to share experiences, scientific research findings, and disease control measures. They also discussed potential future collaboration opportunities, such as research projects, academic exchanges, and training partnerships.
Professor Tao Dong said: "We welcome the Beijing CDC delegation and believe that through cooperation and collaboration, we can advance our understanding of and response to emerging infectious diseases, particularly those related to respiratory viral infections. This visit represents a practical step toward collectively driving scientific research, innovation, and medical advances to safeguard human welfare."
