The Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS) was formally opened on September 24 in Shanghai by Jo Johnson MP, the UK Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation.
CEPAMS forms the basis of an international partnership between the UK’s John Innes Centre and two institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The launch of the Shanghai laboratory marks a milestone for the UK’s scientific relationship with China, in which the John Innes Centre is leading the way.
Dr Jingjing Xu and Dr Hongxia Wang working with post graduate student Javier Galdon Armero in Professor Cathie Martin’s lab.
The new facility will be one of two in China with dedicated state of the art laboratories in Beijing and Shanghai. CEPAMS will employ 10 Project Leaders heading internationally outstanding groups of researchers investigating plant and microbial science.
Collaborative research to address the global challenge of food security will be supported in areas such as improving crop yields, decreasing the threat from crop pests and pathogens and reducing the need for artificial fertiliser. Sixteen research themes have already been funded in areas of shared scientific excellence. Research to improve human health includes two projects relating to the study of Chinese traditional medicines.
Director of the John Innes Centre, Professor Dale Sanders, said:
“CEPAMS is a partnership built on a strong historic connection between the JIC and CAS that dates back to JIC being among the first UK institutes to welcome Chinese researchers working abroad in the 1980s. Since then, many Chinese researchers have worked at JIC and over 100 Chinese research alumni still cherish their affiliation with JIC. Tomorrow we will see our vision of a world class UK/China collaboration in plant and microbial sciences become a reality and I have no doubt that the outstanding, world leading science delivered by this centre, will make a huge impact on the big global challenges relating to food security and human health.“
Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “Greater international collaboration is key to solving the real-life, tangible challenges we face around the world, and this new centre is testament to our scientific partnership with China. It will bring together the brightest minds from the UK and China to improve crop production for the world’s growing populations.”
For more information, please visit www.jic.ac.uk