NIAID Program Officers Visit GIBH

On December 11, 2007 (Tuesday), a delegation of three program officers, Dr. Helen Schiltz, Ms. Gail Jacobs, and Ms. Robin Mason from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), along with Vice Consul Ms. Ashley Brady of the U.S. Consulate General-Guangzhou, paid a visit to GIBH for the purpose of seeking potential research collaboration at GIBH.

 

NIAID, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is an organization that is committed to the global health through conducting and supporting basic and applied research of new therapies, vaccines, and diagnostics for infectious diseases.  In recent years, the scope of the NIAID international research portfolio has considerably expanded, to involve in more research on pathogens that are common threats to the global community.

 

The delegation was warmly welcomed and given a tour of the GIBH facility. A meeting was held between the GIBH core faculty and the delegates, during which Dr. Ling CHEN, Director General of GIBH briefed the U.S. visitors on the GIBH’s history, mission, achievements and ongoing development. The two parties in particular exchanged ideas on research programs in the areas of vaccine and drug development over a broad range of infectious disease targets, such as Avian influenza, HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, etc. After hearing the program officers’ introduction and advice, the GIBH scientists showed great interest in the grant opportunity and will try to apply for the NIH funding.

 

It is believed that the efforts in combining both domestic and international resources will yield more important results in making critical discoveries by GIBH scientists that will benefit the global community not just to China.