The University of Oxford and China's Sichuan University have jointly launched a 
center to bolster research cooperation on gastrointestinal cancer.

Representatives from the two sides signed a contract for the Sichuan 
University-University of Oxford Huaxi Joint Centre for Gastrointestinal Cancer 
during a recent video conference, according to a statement by Sichuan 
University. 

The international collaboration started in June 2019. It plans to set up a 
gastrointestinal cancer center in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, and 
research platforms at the two universities. These units will work together in 
studying the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, 
as well as developing management strategies for treating cancer patients.

Li Yanrong, president of Sichuan University, said the joint center will be an 
open research platform where scholars from the two universities and their 
global counterparts can jointly carry out scientific research, launch 
talent-training programs, hold international academic conferences and publish 
papers.

"It will focus on cancer therapies and tumor marker development in order to 
provide better treatment options for patients," said Li, emphasizing the 
Sino-UK science collaboration as being in the global interest.

"How to better treat patients, prolong their survival time and improve their 
life quality are shared concerns of the researchers at the two universities," 
said Yang Li, director of the Gastroenterology Department at the West China 
Hospital of Sichuan University.

West China Hospital, also known as Huaxi Hospital, is a prestigious medical 
center in Chengdu. Its Gastroenterology Department is a national key discipline 
and national key clinical specialty administered by China's health authorities. 

Source: Sichuan University