The signing ceremony for the Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC)-Boehringer Ingelheim Joint Laboratory of Human Medicine was held recently.

Boehringer Ingelheim and Peking University School of Public Health have a long history of collaboration. Since signing a memorandum of cooperation in teaching and scientific research in 2014, PKU doctoral students in epidemiology have been offered internship opportunities at Boehringer Ingelheim's headquarters and China office each year.

In terms of scientific research, the two parties have collaborated on research in skin diseases and infectious diseases. Marking ten years of cooperation, they have now established a joint laboratory. This new lab will deepen their existing collaboration across more disease areas, promote the integration of production, education, and research, and benefit patients in China and globally.

The joint laboratory operates under a director responsibility system guided by an academic committee. Professor Zhan Siyan has been appointed as the director of the joint lab, and Professor Li Liming will serve as the director of the academic committee.

The collaboration will focus on diseases with significant unmet needs, including inflammatory immunity, tumours, heart-kidney-metabolism, ophthalmology, and emerging therapeutic fields. Beyond scientific research, the partnership will also enhance cooperation in personnel training.

Looking ahead, both sides will leverage their respective resources to address real patient challenges, produce high-quality evidence-based medical research by exploring and conducting real-world data studies, support the development of innovative drugs, and elevate the overall level of drug research and development in China, ultimately accelerating the availability of innovative drugs for Chinese patients.