Stem cell research: MRC-China Collaboration
In January 2012 the MRC and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) will be launching the UK-China Stem cell partnership development initiative. The jointly funded initiative will provide funding for travel and consumables for UK and Chinese researchers to provide a catalyst for the establishment of long term UK-China collaborations in the area of stem cell research. The scheme is being launched following an MRC-NSFC workshop to explore the potential of UK- China collaborations, details of which can be found below.
In total up to £0.4m will be available for the UK applicants and RMB 3m available for the Chinese applicants, which will provide funding for approximately 10-12 partnership project awards of 12-18 months duration. Projects funded under this scheme will be focussed on basic and preclinical research of relevance to the longer term development of therapies for human disease and disorders. It is anticipated that successful partnerships will establish well-developed links as a basis for more substantial collaborative research projects in the future.
Further information on the initiative and details of how to submit an application will be available in January on the MRC Calls for Proposals page.
UK-China Stem Cell Research Workshop
On the 21st and 22nd September 2011 the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) held a Stem Cell Research Workshop at Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge. The workshop was convened following a visit to China by an MRC Expert Group in 2009, where the opportunities and potential benefits of working more closely with Chinese stem cell researchers were explored.
The aims of the workshop were
- To present an overview of stem cell research activity in the UK and China
- To provide a snapshot of current stem cell research in UK and Chinese labs
- To provide a networking opportunity for UK and Chinese researchers
- To provide a platform for future collaborative projects
The meeting was attended by the key institutions involved in stem cell research in both the UK and China and was successful in meeting its objectives. The potential for collaboration across a breadth of research topics was clearly demonstrated.
The workshop brochure and a selection of the presentations delivered at the workshop can be found here: http://bit.ly/oLveYl