New Milestone in West China Hospital’s International Collaboration with IBEC
The collaboration between West China Hospital (WCH) of Sichuan University and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is entering a new phase, marked by two key milestones: the announcement of this year’s Jinsha Friendship Award winners and the successful conclusion of the 2nd WCH-IBEC Precision Medicine Conference.
WCH is committed to becoming a top-tier hospital in China and a globally recognized medical institution. As part of this mission, the hospital has been actively fostering international collaborations, including the establishment of five overseas centers in the UK, Singapore, Canada, Spain, and Italy. Among these, the Spanish Overseas Center, supported by the partnership with IBEC, has demonstrated particularly significant progress. In the past year, WCH has formed several sister departments with prestigious international institutions, which has significantly bolstered the hospital’s global reputation and academic influence.
In 2023, West China Hospital (WCH) signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) at the institutional level
This fruitful cooperation would not have been possible without the significant contributions of Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia, a 2024 Jinsha Friendship Award recipient. As a leading researcher in intelligent drug delivery at IBEC, Prof. Battaglia has been pivotal in advancing the application of multimodal technologies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, in collaboration with West China Hospital’s Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center (HMRRC). His extensive research focuses on innovative solutions to clinical challenges, showcasing the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration between biomedical engineering and medical research.
Under Prof. Battaglia's guidance, a 20-member expert team from West China Hospital visited IBEC in Barcelona, Spain, establishing a pioneering platform for bilateral academic exchanges. This visit initiated the first WCH-IBEC bilateral academic conference and set up an annual alternating hosting mechanism between the two institutions. This ongoing collaboration reflects the hospital's commitment to global partnerships, particularly those driven by high-impact research.The International Cooperation Office at West China Hospital has also played a key role, coordinating this partnership and enhancing the hospital's global academic influence.
The Jinsha Friendship Award, Chengdu’s highest honor for foreign experts contributing to international cooperation, further highlights Prof. Battaglia's outstanding contributions to WCH’s global collaborations.
The opening ceremony of the 2nd WCH-IBEC Precision Medicine Conference
Mr. Adrián Gutiérrez, Research & Innovation Counsellor the Spanish Embassy in China, delivering a speech at the opening ceremony
Academic Report Session
2nd WCH-IBEC Precision Medicine Conference: Strengthening Biomedical Innovation
The 2nd WCH-IBEC Precision Medicine Conference, held in Chengdu on September 28, 2024, brought together over 10 prominent experts from top Spanish institutions and WCH faculty to discuss the integration of medical and engineering advancements in clinical settings. Opening remarks were delivered by key leaders, including Vice Dean Gong Qiyong of WCH, IBEC Director Josep Samitier, and Research & Innovation Counsellor Adrián Gutiérrez from the Spanish Embassy, who underscored the importance of Sino-Spanish collaborations in scientific research.
The conference featured discussions on cutting-edge topics such as medical imaging, artificial intelligence, nanomedicine, and organoid technology, with contributions from leading institutions like IBEC, the University of Barcelona, and the Bellvitge Institute of Biomedical Research.
During the event, foreign experts, led by IBEC Director Josep Samitier, toured WCH and met with Vice President Wang Kunjie. Discussions centered around the successful collaborations between WCH and IBEC in fields such as radiology, otolaryngology, and laboratory medicine. The visit to WCH’s history museum and Translational Medicine Building further showcased the hospital’s scientific capabilities and historical significance.
Foreign guests attending the 2nd WCH-IBEC Precision Medicine Conference visiting West China Hospital
Future Prospects: A New Chapter in Sino-Spanish Cooperation
The success of the 2nd WCH-IBEC Precision Medicine Conference and the growing collaboration between WCH and IBEC mark the beginning of a new chapter in international cooperation. Both institutions aim to explore new models of partnership, with a focus on leveraging biotechnological innovations to enhance the precision and effectiveness of medical diagnostics and treatments. This strategic cooperation is poised to drive significant advances in biomedical engineering and medical technology, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide.
