UIC, Chinese medical university sign research pact

UIC Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares signed an agreement with Runsheng Jiang, president of Kunming Medical University. Photo: Joshua Clark/UIC Photo Services

UIC is forging a closer research partnership with China’s Kunming Medical University.

Runsheng Jiang, president of Kunming Medical University, was on campus Oct. 13 to meet with researchers from UIC’s Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program in the School of Public Health. Jiang and Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares signed an agreement formalizing both institutions’ intent to build closer ties in research and training.

UIC’s AIDS training and research program partners with academic institutions in China, Malawi, Indonesia and Chile. The program, directed by Judith Levy, associate professor of health policy and administration in the School of Public Health, and Kathleen Noor, professor emerita of women, child and family health science in the College of Nursing, has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2000.

Young scholars recruited from partner institutions abroad receive research training through short-term, advanced degree and post-doctoral studies at UIC.

Jiang and other administrators from Kunming Medical University toured the hospital and met with administrators from public health and the colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Dentistry to discuss research and training partnerships, as well as faculty/student exchanges in health areas outside of HIV research.