Tsinghua University has signed an agreement with the McGovern
Institute for Brain Research (MIBR) at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology for a joint neuroscience research program.
The program will promote advances in basic neuroscience research
that can be applied to the study of the human brain, as well as
brain diseases and mental disorders, according to the
agreement.
Researchers from Tsinghua's Institute of Life Sciences and
Medicine and MIBR will exchange information and conduct
collaborative research.
The program may also sponsor joint scientific meetings for
neuroscientists between the two countries.
"The brain disorders we study at the McGovern Institute are
global problems. The progress will surely depend on global
collaborations," MIBR director, Robert Desimone, said.
The brain research institute, established in February 2000 with
a donation from Patrick McGovern, founder of the International Data
Group (IDG), and his wife, aims to help people suffering from
Parkinson's disease, and those with schizophrenia, autism and other
mental illnesses, by searching for better treatments.
Hugo Shong, president of IDG China, has donated $800,000 to MIBR
to help facilitate exchanges of postdoctoral fellows and scientists
between the institute and three Chinese universities.
"McGovern has been considering building similar institutes in
Europe and Asia.
"I really hope the Asian one will be set up in China so it can
help the more than 80 million people with brain diseases and mental
disorders there," Shong said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2008)