A delegation of 16 researchers, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine’s Vice President Hongzhuan Chen, and Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology (SII), Bing Su, attended a 3 day bilateral forum, at Aix-Marseille University and The Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML) from November 16 to 18 (France local time).
The delegation was warmly welcomed in a reception hosted by the Deputy Mayor of Medical Affairs, Marseille, Parick Padovani, at Marseille’s City Hall on the evening of November 15. The Consul-General of Chinese Consulate General in Marseille, Liying Zhu also attended the event. Padovani expressed his excitement on the opportunities for Shanghai and Marseille to expand collaborations in the fields of Biomedicine and Immunology. He hoped that the cooperation between SII and CIML would be an opportunity to promote further exchanges between Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Aix-Marseille University. Hongzhuan Chen, on behalf of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, expressed his gratitude to Marseille municipal government and Consul-General Liying Zhu for their warm reception. He emphasized that the International Forum on Immunology is one of the important events in celebrating the 30th Anniversary Sister Cities between Marseille and Shanghai , and would be a great start for the two cities to conduct further collaborations in Life Sciences research. He expects that a wide range of education and research cooperation between Marseille and Shanghai will also be established from this visit..
The 2017 International Forum on Immunology, co-hosted by CIML and Shanghai Institute of Immunology, was held on November 16-17 at CIML, France. In the opening speech, the Consul-General of Chinese Consulate General in Marseille, Liying Zhu, said that in celebrating the 30th Anniversary as Sister Cities, Marseille and Shanghai, both as major hub cities, had launched a series of events this year. The visit of the delegation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine is undoubtedly one of these important events. The collaboration of the two leading immunological institutes in Shanghai and Marseille is absolutely beneficial for the advancement in scientific research and for improving human health. The collaboration not just foster the relationship between the two cities but also contributed to the development of China-France bilateral relation.”
A total of 50 researchers and scientists, including Professor Eric Vivier (Director of CIML), Professor Hongzhuan Chen (Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine), Professor Bing Su (Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology), Professor Jinke Cheng (Dean of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Faculty of Basic Medicine), Professor Florent Ginhoux (Adjunct Professor of Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Member of Shanghai Overseas High Level Talents Program) participated in the forum. 16 speakers from CIML and SII shared their recent discoveries in innate and adaptive immunity research, including 1) development, differentiation and function of dendritic cells; 2) molecular mechanisms and regulation of T cell signal transduction; 3) morphological development and specific function of immune organs; 4) the generation of high affinity antibody and its mechanism; 5) diagnosis, treatment strategy and vaccine development of immune diseases such as severe infection and cancer. It is worth mentioning that Professor Florent Ginhoux, one of SII's Adjunct Professor from Singapore Immunology Network, reported significant progress made at his laboratory in Shanghai Institute of Immunology on the studies of the development of monocytes-macrophages and dendritic cells using mouse monocyte lineage tracing system. During the forum, the delegation was invited by CIML to visit Luminy Biopark, which consists of renowned biomedical companies and platforms such as Innate Pharma and Marseille Immunopole mAb (MImAb) etc.
The forum was also highly valued by Aix-Marseille University. Madame Marie MASCLET DE BARBARIN, Vice Chairman of Board of Aix-Marseille University, and Professor Pierre CHIAPPETTA, Vice President of Aix-Marseille University held a welcome ceremony on the evening of November 17. Both parties hope to take the opportunity of the 30th Anniversary event and the 2017 International Forum on Immunology as a stepping stone to establish a strong cooperation between Aix-Marseille University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in the future.
Background：
The Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML), co-established by CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research), INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research) and Aix-Marseille University in 1976, is a renowned research institute of immunology in Europe. Professor Eric Viver, current director of CIML, and his successor Professor Philippe Pierre, had visited Shanghai Institute of Immunology for scientific discussions separately. Professor Eric Viver also served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Shanghai Institute of Immunology and attended the 1st Scientific Assessment Meeting in 2016. Professor Bernard Malissen, a well-recognized immunologist from CIML, was previously invited to participate in the 2016 Immunological Diseases and Translation Research Forum organized by Shanghai Institute of Immunology on October 19, 2016. Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Professor Bing Su was invited as a guest of honor in the 40th anniversary founding ceremony of CIML in 2016. Giving the shared history, academic background and communications between two institutes, both sides are very willing to deepen substantial cooperation in future.
Aix-Marseille University is a comprehensive public university located in Aix and Marseille, France and it is the biggest university as well as biggest French college in France. Aix-Marseille University consists of 130 research institutes and it currently has 74,000 students including 10,000 international students, 8000 faculties and researchers, 12 institutes and 4500 Ph.D. students.
Marseille Immunopole is a biological R&D center supported by French government and the famous pharmaceutical company Sanofi. Its members include the Marseille Immunopole mAb Antibody Platform and Innate Pharma, a leading biotech medicine company. The center is mainly focused on developing antibodies related with tumor-targeting and inflammatory diseases, and relevant preclinical and early-stage clinical study.
Acknowledgements：
The event was strongly supported by The International Exchange Office of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Department of Chinese and French Medicine, Department of Science and Technology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Faculty of Basic Medicine.
Photo Caption：
1: Deputy Mayor of Medical Affairs Parick Padovani gives a welcome address on behalf of the Marseille municipal government.
2: Vice President Hongzhuan Chen delivers a speech on behalf of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.
3: Caption (left to right): Honglin Wang, Deputy Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology; Jinke Cheng, Dean of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Faculty of Basic Medicine; Hongzhuan Chen, Dean of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Faculty of Basic Medicine; Parick Padovani, Deputy Mayor of Medical Affairs, Marseille and Bing Su, Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology.
4: Members of delegation of Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine at Marseille’s City Hall.
5: Director of the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML) Eric Viver gives the opening remarks.
6: The Consul-General of Chinese Consulate General in Marseille Liying Zhu gives the welcome address.
7: Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology Bing Su makes a speech at the opening ceremony of the forum.
8: Professor Bernard Malissen from CIML reports his research progress at the forum.
9: The delegation visits the Marseille Immunopole mAb (MImAb) platform at Luminy Biopark.
10: Delegation of Shanghai Institute of Immunology at the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML)
11: Adjunct Professor of Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Member of Shanghai Overseas High Level Talents Program, Professor Florent Ginhoux (third from left) with PIs from SII at CIML.
12: The delegation of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and leadership of Aix-Marseille University.
13 14: Round table discussion with leadership of Aix-Marseille University Madame Marie MASCLET DE BARBARIN(second from left), Vice Chairman of Board of Aix-Marseille University, and Professor Pierre CHIAPPETTA(second from right), Vice President of Aix-Marseille University
Shanghai Institute of Immunology
Translation: Xujiao Feng, Jingsi Jin, Jiaqi Wang
Revison: Leng Siew Yeap, Lijuan Fang
Photograph: Lijuan Fang
