Prof. Jonathan Elliott, Vice Principal of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), UK, Prof. Nicolas Gengler of University of Liege, Belgium, and Dr. Clement Grelet of Walloon Center for Agricultural Research, Belgium, visited Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) from October 26 to November 4.
On the morning of November 1, Vice President Gao Chi met with the three European scholars and had a friendly in-depth talk with them on cooperation program of science and technology and students’ training between HZAU and RVC and University of Liege. The scholars also exchanged ideas with the heads and teachers of College of Animal Sciences & Technology/College of Veterinary Medicine on scientific research, teaching and joint educational programs.
The three experts visited and spoke highly of the Animal Hospital of HZAU as well as gave valuable suggestions on its further development the next day. Both parties reached a preliminary agreement on joint research of animal diseases (such as feline nephropathy) and exchange programs for clinicians, teachers and students and conducted academic exchanges afterwards. The three experts delivered seven academic reports on animal genetic evaluation and genomic selection, discovery of new biomarkers in milk, and animal disease and health while the researchers of the College of Animal Sciences & Technology/College of Veterinary Medicine who joined in the 7th Framework Program (FP7) also reported their research progress and future plan.
During the visit, Prof. Elliott also reaffirmed the updated Joint Laboratory Agreement on the Research of Animal Breeding and Disease Control and signed the agreement on behalf of RVC. Meanwhile, Prof. Zhang Shujun and Prof. Gengler signed an agreement on cooperative research in genomic selection and new biomarkers in milk and reached a preliminary agreement on establishing a Belgium-China joint laboratory for animal genetics and genomic selection research. According to the agreement, Prof. Gengler will admit postgraduates of HZAU to study and research in University of Liege.
It is reported that the FP7 framework project Development and exploitation of genomic data and tools, phenotype approaches and breeding concepts to sustainable animal production systems is a large-scale research project conducted jointly by 16 partners, including 9 European countries, the United States and China. EU Scientific Committee sponsored 11 million euros for the project. The project in China, lasting five years from January 2014 to December 2018, is chaired by Prof. Zhang Shujun and the participators are Prof. Chen Huanchun, an Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Prof. Yang Liguo, Prof. Zhao Junlong and Associate Prof. Hua Guohua .
Translated by Li Lei
Proofread by Zeng Wenhua
Source text: http://news.hzau.edu.cn/2017/1107/50665.shtml
