XITLU-UoL Joint Centre for Pharmacology and Therapeutics is a combination of expertise, skills, facilities and resources in the fields of pharmacology and therapeutics for both XJTLU and University of Liverpool (UoL). The Joint Centre will bring in UoL’s pharmacology and therapeutics research, and work together with new drug development companies and clinical institutions in Suzhou and the Yangtze River Delta area to accelerate the drug development process by exploring disease mechanisms in order to develop new drugs with better efficacy and safety.

The areas of drug action and drug discovery that the Centre focuses on include cellular therapies, bispecific antibodies, epigenetic and peptide therapeutics, clinical bio indicators and drug target development.

The primary objective of the Centre’s activity is understanding mechanisms of diseases for developing novel drugs with better effectiveness and safety, from concepts to translational drug discovery. Specific objectives are to:

• deepen and strengthen current research links with joint PhD supervision;
• open new research opportunities through combining research excellence in pharmacology and therapeutics from XJTLU and UoL;
• develop a ‘talent pipeline’ from postgraduates to research leaders, engaging with industrial partners and practitioners to build an internationally leading relationship; as well as boost Industrial placement and invention;
• accelerate deployment of research knowledge for the benefit of the Pharma Valley or China and contribute to the growth of the Liverpool city region.

Members
As of September 2022, the Joint Centre has over 20 members from diverse backgrounds, including academia, industry and healthcare. Apart from academic staff from the Academy of Pharmacy, and the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry at XJTLU and UoL, memberships of the Centre also extend to Hengrui Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) and Suzhou GuangJi Hospital.

Main activities of the Centre

• Key research projects that address the needs of the country
• Collaborative pilot projects
• Seminars
• Specialist workshops
• Training of professionals for accredited certificates