Duke University Medical Center Delegates Visit TJU

Recently, a delegation led by Professor Elizabeth Ray DeLong, Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, visited Tianjin University (TJU). President Li Jiajun met with the guests. Present at the meeting were Academician Chen Yongchuan, Director of the Center for Applied Mathematics, and Professor Jay Siegel, Dean of School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, as well as representatives from Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biotechnology and Medicine and relevant offices from TJU.

President Li gave an overview on the Center for Applied Mathematics and the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology. Then he pointed out that TJU greatly valued cooperation with Duke University, and hoped that both universities could jointly establish interdisciplinary research platforms and deepen collaboration by integrating various resources from the schools and research centers within the universities, as well as those from industry and government. Academician Chen elaborated on the Center for Applied Mathematics, and proposed constructive ideas on cooperation in terms of faculty exchange and student training. Professor Siegel also talked about the blueprint for the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology. He introduced to the guests the policy for bringing in high-level foreign experts in his school in an attempt to attract scholars from Duke University to give lectures and conduct joint research at TJU.

Professor DeLong made an introduction on Duke University Medical Center, including its ideas for talent training, and the research projects of bioinformatics and keeping electronic health records. She believed in a brilliant outlook for cooperation between the two through joint efforts.

A detailed discussion was held revolving around attracting talent and exchange of faculty and students through various funds, and consensus was reached on setting up a work team to promote cooperation. While on campus, the delegation visited various labs and teaching facilities in the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology.

Duke University, founded in 1838, is a private research university. In 2013, Duke was ranked 17th by Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 23rd by QS World University Rankings, while tying for 7th with MIT and Penn in the 2014 U.S. News & World Report “Best National Universities Rankings”. Duke University Medical Center is a 924-bed academic tertiary care facility located in North Carolina. It is the flagship teaching hospital for the Duke University Health System, a network of physicians and hospitals serving Durham County and Wake County of North Carolina and surrounding areas. It is also one of three Level I referral centers for the Research Triangle of North Carolina.