New institute, lab focus on infectious disease

A research institute and a key laboratory on major infectious diseases and biological safety were unveiled by the city government and Fudan University on Monday to enhance Shanghai’s public health capabilities.

Dr Wu Fan, deputy director of Fudan University’s medical college and a leading expert from Shanghai's COVID-19 medical team, is the director of the Shanghai Institute of Major Infectious Disease and Biosafety, while Dr Zhang Wenhong, head of Shanghai’s expert team for the treatment of coronavirus patients, is director of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biosafety Emergency Response.

Vice mayor Wu Qing said Shanghai is focusing on building a scientific platform on par with international standards to produce prospective and innovative achievements and offer technical support to deal with major infectious diseases.

Officials said the new institute will focus on problems and challenges in major infectious diseases and biosafety by offering talent training and preparation, technology support and policy suggestions. It will be built into a research center and technical center for epidemic prevention and control and become a world-leading research facility on infectious disease and biosafety, providing China’s contribution to global epidemic control and biological safety network.

All leading experts in the new institute have been involved in COVID-19 prevention and control, and technological research in the city.

Experts say the institute's current tasks are early detection and alerts on major, new infectious diseases, quick identification on pathogens, mass testing of pathogens, clinical diagnosis and treatment of new infectious diseases, multicenter epidemiological investigation, vaccine development and pharmaceutical development.