The Pingshan delegation at University of Oxford. Photos from Pingshan Release

A delegation led by Yang Jun, secretary of the CPC Pingshan District Committee, visited London, Cambridge, Oxford, and Essex, the U.K. on Feb. 22-24, establishing connections with global innovation resources and exploring new development opportunities.

During their trips to various prestigious institutions and organizations, including the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult), Nick Dutton Technical Services Ltd., Imperial College London, Center for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) in the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and the Francis Crick Institute, the delegation engaged in discussions about technological innovation cooperation, talent exchanges, and project commercialization.

The Pingshan delegation visits Imperial College London.

Cell and gene therapy is one of Pingshan’s three industrial clusters with potentials, and the district is home to such innovative companies as Pregene, HYKM Biopharm, and Acen Med, as well as Shenzhen Cell Valley South China Cell Factory.

During the Pingshan delegation’s visit to CGT Catapult on Feb. 22, Li Hongjian, general manager of Pregene, said that his company will leverage CGT Catapult’s expertise in R&D, talents, and commercialization of cell and gene therapies to propel his company’s groundbreaking technologies into Europe. 

Established by Innovate U.K., CGT Catapult is an independent innovation and technology organization committed to advancing cell and gene therapies, helping companies, researchers, and innovators accelerate theses therapies to market. 

Yang expressed that the Pingshan District Government will support Pregene and CGT Catapult’s collaboration and will striveto create an Asian-version CGT Catapult in Pingshan.

The Pingshan delegation and representatives from CGT Catapult.

Nick Dutton Technical Services Ltd. provides electrical engineering expertise specializing in electric power conversion and control. On Feb. 22, the Pingshan delegation discussed with representatives from Nick Dutton Technical Services and AllGreen Energy, centering around electric variable speed drive R&D and energy management.

During the delegation’s visit to CAPE in the University of Cambridge on Feb. 23, professors at the center expressed their interest in launching an optical chip project in Pingshan. At Imperial College London, the delegation exchanged topics on autonomous driving and algorithms, and talent exchanges, with academicians and scientists. 

The Pingshan delegation visits University of Cambridge.

On Feb. 24, the delegation visited the Francis Crick Institute, a prominent biomedicine research center with over 1,500 scientists, and the Oxford Cancer, to explore strategies for reducing enterprises’ R&D costs and effectively commercializing R&D achievements. Furthermore, several U.K. teams specializing in genetic testing and innovative pet drugs expressed their intent to establish a presence in Pingshan.

The Pingshan delegation visits the Francis Crick Institute.