Intl center for regenerative medicine opens in Boao

Boao Hospital. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An international center for regenerative medicine was launched Friday by the Boao International Hospital at the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone.

The center will conduct research in areas such as precision cancer therapy, regenerative medicine, genetic therapy, functional medicine and reproductive medicine, and transform their research results into clinical use.

The center, which is also building a service-sharing platform for large-size medical equipment and technologies, aims to be a major base for regenerative medicine and the training of high-level talent in the country.

Japan's Oda Harunori, a leading expert worldwide in anti-aging and anti-cancer cell technology, has been named head of the hospital, which is bringing in more top medical talent to engage in medical research and services in Hainan.

Wu Zuze, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a leading expert on hematopoietic stem cells, said the opening of the center marks the beginning of a new era of regenerative medicine in Boao and Hainan province as a whole.

The opening of the international center. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Regenerative medicine is expected to produce a market volume of more than $400 billion by 2020 worldwide.

The hospital now has 82 staff members and 11 specially invited foreign doctors. It has established cooperative partnerships with a number of domestic and international institutes, including the American Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Shanghai Mingda Biotech Co Ltd, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, the 10th People's Hospital of Tongji University and Oda Group.

A demonstration project launched in 2013, Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone has been granted by the State nine special preferential policies, such as special permission to import medical technology, medical equipment and medicine, and cutting-edge technological research on stem cells.