Collaboration between the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics

Background

A joint laboratory of DICP and the University of Ottawa, Canada, for proteomics and systems biology (abbreviated as “DICP-uOttawa”) was set up in DICP on 11th November

In the sign-board unveiling ceremony, Mr. A. Majid Dellah, Vice-Consul, Embassy of Canada in China, delivered congratulation on the establishing of the joint laboratory. He hoped that this would provide impetus for further broadening of cooperation fields and deepening cooperation contents between both sides, so as to bring about more cooperation in science, technology, education and culture. He especially hoped that the cooperation in medicine and health areas could be strengthened to realize a combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine for the benefit of mankind. Prof. LIU Zhongmin, Vice-Director of DICP, expressed warm welcome to the Canadian guests, and highly evaluated the research power of the University of Ottawa in the fields of science and technology, especially in the area of medicine and health care. He was satisfied with the excellent accomplishments made earlier during the collaboration between both sides, and hoped that this cooperation would develop more extensively and in greater depth with the establishing of the joint laboratory.

Then, Prof. Mona Nemer, Vice-Dean of University of Ottawa, introduced on the key research programs and the cooperation policy of the university. Prof. YANG Shengli of DICP briefed the status of the Bio-Tech Department of the institute. He pointed out that possible cooperation orientations included proteomics, metabolomics and small-molecule Chinese medicines. Prof. ZOU Hanfa of DICP and Prof. Daniel Figeys of University of Ottawa both gave their ideas on the effective operation of the joint laboratory.

After the ceremony, Prof. Nemer was invited to deliver a lecture with the title of “GATA4 transcriptional factor as potential drug target”, in which she introduced the role of GATA4 in maintaining normal physiological states in cardiac muscle cells, and the studies done by utilizing GATA4 as a potential drug target. Active discussions were carried out after the lecture.