Shanghai Laboratory to Develop Molecular Solutions for Diagnostics

A laboratory is to be established in Shanghai whose ultimate aim is to create new solutions for the early diagnosis of disease and for monitoring the effectiveness of subsequent treatment.

In particular, the laboratory investigations will be aimed at biomarker discovery and test development for next-generation in vitro diagnostic testing. Important application examples of next-generation in vitro diagnostics will include near-patient health monitoring at virtually every stage of clinical care, from routine screening right through to diagnosis, treatment, and disease management.

Royal Philips Electronics (Einhoven, The Netherlands) and the Institute of Health Sciences (IHS; Shanghai, China) announced an agreement to establish the laboratory within the IHS in Shanghai, China. The IHS is part of the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences (SIBS; China) and is also affiliated to the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (Shanghai, China). The laboratory will conduct advanced investigations in the field of molecular medicine. As part of the collaboration, Philips intends to locate a team of its own scientists at the laboratory.

"This collaboration will give us access to Philips' global research organization, especially the European laboratories, and should serve as a good example for further European collaborations,” says Prof. Rongxing Gan, vice president of SIBS. "The combination of our expertise in translational biomedical research and Philips' expertise in advanced medical instrumentation will definitely accelerate the development of new healthcare solutions for the Chinese people as well as people around the world.”

Philips Research has been building the necessary competencies in molecular biology, bioinformatics, and molecular diagnostics as priorities in its diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring expertise. It has already established a dedicated biomolecular life-sciences facility on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

"This agreement to set up a joint research laboratory with the IHS in China is a prime example of the open innovation approach that Philips is taking in order to bring the many benefits of molecular medicine into patient care,” says Rick Harwig, CTO of Royal Philips Electronics. "As an international company with an ambition to provide healthcare solutions that are tailored to local needs, we are delighted to be partnering with a Chinese institute that within the space of a few years has become renowned for its life sciences research.”


Related Links:
Royal Philips Electronics
Institute of Health Sciences
Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences