GEROPHARM and FEFU Launched the First Russia-China Industrial Biomedicine and Pharmaceutics Institute
Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), Guangzhou Xinhua University, and biotechnology companies GEROPHARM and Guangzhou Trauer Biotechnology Co. launched the first International Industrial Biomedicine and Pharmaceutics Institute in Guangzhou, China’s third-largest city. The inauguration ceremony was attended by FEFU Rector Boris Korobets, Primorsk Territory Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, GEROPHARM Director for Business Development Svetlana Zakirova, and representatives of Xinhua University and Guangzhou Trauer Biotechnology Co.
The new institute will provide a platform for delivering educational programmes in biomedicine and healthcare and will train professionals for high-tech manufacturing sectors. The studies at the Institute will start in September 2025 at Xinhua University’s campuses in Guangzhou and Dongguan. Plans are underway to build a dedicated campus for the joint Institute.
“The launch of the joint institute in Guangzhou marks an important step forward on the road of promoting Russian education in Asia. The Industrial Institute will significantly expand opportunities for students and researchers, strengthen scientific and technological cooperation between our countries, and foster new channels for academic and linguistic exchange. I am confident that the joint programmes will make a significant contribution to the advancement of biomedicine and training of world-class professionals”, said FEFU Rector Boris Korobets.
The project will further evolve by establishing mirror biomedicine laboratories at FEFU and Xinhua University to develop pharmaceuticals and parapharmaceuticals. It will enable Russian and Chinese scientists to develop new products and transfer knowledge and technologies.
Currently, research teams from FEFU’s Advanced Engineering School “Institute of Biotechnology, Bioengineering, and Food Systems” and the School of Medicine and Life Sciences are actively engaged in research across pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, selective breeding of aquatic bioresources, and the development of functional foods. The concentration of resources leads to breakthrough results by aligning goals and uniting the efforts of the University, industry, and regional partners. A key focus is on engineering team training and technological expertise to drive the development of world-class innovations in Primorsk Territory.
“Primorsk Territory and China maintain close cooperation across a range of sectors. While we already have strong and friendly ties with the North-Eastern provinces, the launch of the Institute in Guangzhou will both strengthen humanitarian and scientific relations between Guangdong Province and Primorsk Territory and will establish long-term and effective connections with the business community in South China. FEFU’s research and education programmes are designed with a strong practical focus, aligning closely with the demands of the real economy. This synergy of academics and major businesses will support high-rate development in various sectors of our countries’ economies”, emphasized Primorsk Territory Governor Oleg Kozhemyako.
The industrial institute structure comprises academic and business components. The Institute will bring together FEFU scientists and specialists from biotechnology company GEROPHARM on the Russian side and researchers from Xinhua University and Guangzhou Trauer Biotechnology Co. on the Chinese side. The project is also supported by Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals, one of the leading pharmaceutical corporations in Guangzhou. This partnership will offer internships at modern facilities and, eventually, jobs to alumni, keep the educational and practical training facilities up to date, provide students with hands-on experience at modern enterprises, and supports the commercialisation of scientific research.
“An international educational structure comprising universities and businesses is a pattern for fostering researchers and specialists capable of rising to real sectoral challenges and having an international perspective. Such an applied approach will equip students with profound knowledge and practical skills required to develop innovative medicines and address major medical challenges of today. The Institute alumni will be sought for and offered jobs at leading biotechnology companies”, said GEROPHARM CEO Petr Rodionov.
