ICGEB China RRC Lab opens in Trieste

Leveraging Headquarters' Strengths to Connect Global Resources

Situated in Trieste, Italy – the headquarters of ICGEB and part of the world-renowned "Science Triangle" – the laboratory is surrounded by a cluster of top-tier research institutions including ICGEB, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), and the University of Trieste. This ecosystem forms a comprehensive research environment spanning fundamental theoretical physics, cutting-edge life sciences, and advanced materials characterization, establishing Trieste as a vital hub for global scientific collaboration and innovation.

Capitalizing on this strategic location, the laboratory will directly interface with high-level international research platforms, serving as a crucial gateway for Chinese biopharmaceutical enterprises to access Europe and connect with global markets. Leveraging the experimental systems, professional personnel, and management mechanisms of ICGEB headquarters, the lab can provide fast, efficient, and high-level R&D services to Taizhou's biomedical companies and related research institutes, accelerating technology transfer and industrial upgrading. Concurrently, the laboratory will establish a two-way "resource window": on one hand, introducing advanced international technologies, products, and talent; on the other, facilitating the export of domestic biomedical achievements to Europe and over sixty member states through the ICGEB network, thereby synchronizing the "introduction" and "going global" strategies. The ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive overseas innovation hub integrating cutting-edge exploration, industrial enablement, bilateral cooperation, and market expansion.

R-L: Drs. Dongping Bao, ICGEB China RRC, with Lawrence Banks and Emanuele Buratti

Three Years of Solid Preparation

May 2023: A delegation led by Wan Wen Hua, Mayor of Taizhou, visited ICGEB headquarters in Italy. They held talks with Director-General Lawrence Banks and signed a memorandum of cooperation, jointly planning the establishment of the Trieste offshore laboratory to create a biomedical frontier platform radiating across Eurasia.

April 2025: The ICGEB Director-General visited Taizhou. It was clarified that the offshore laboratory would function as a transnational joint R&D platform, and two key agreements concerning the laboratory construction and a small nucleic acid drug project were signed.

June 2025: The offshore laboratory was officially inaugurated in Italy. Jiang Dongdong, Secretary of the Taizhou Municipal Party Committee, attended the ceremony and emphasized its important role as an open window to the outside world.

December 2025: During a global ICGEB event, the Director-General welcomed Chinese researchers to Italy for collaborative studies, officially announcing the full operational status of the offshore laboratory.

January 2026: The ICGEB Director-General visited China. He stated that ICGEB possesses the willingness and cooperative foundation to transfer its existing technologies to China Medical City (CMC). He also acknowledged CMC's potential to export its own technologies to other member states via the ICGEB platform, expressing anticipation for further strengthened cooperation.

Providing R&D Services to Facilitate International Integration

The ICGEB laboratory in Italy has long been dedicated to fundamental life science research, boasting a world-class scientific environment, advanced instruments and equipment, specialized experimental platforms, and comprehensive technical support. Through the collaborative bridge of the offshore laboratory, it can provide R&D support and services to enterprises within China Medical City across several key areas, helping companies reduce cutting-edge R&D costs, shorten translation cycles, and align with international standards.

P3 Laboratory: Supports preclinical research for vaccines, antiviral drugs, and cutting-edge therapies.

GMP Facility (International Standards): Assists in the translation of cell and gene therapy products from laboratory-scale processes to clinical-grade sample production.

Single-cell Sequencing Platform: Facilitates new drug discovery and precision medicine.

Electron Microscopy/Center: Used for cutting-edge structural analysis and materials research.

Intelligent Computing & Data Platform: Drives target discovery.

Two-way Talent Flow, Building a Sustainable Cooperation Mechanism

The ICGEB China Regional Research Center consistently adheres to an open model for cultivating international talent. It actively welcomes young scholars from around the world for exchanges while selectively sending outstanding Chinese researchers to the Italian laboratory for further study. To date, the Center has successfully hosted three international researchers funded by the ICGEB fellowship program and has dispatched two Chinese scholars to Italy for collaborative research. Additionally, two of the Center's own researchers have received ICGEB fellowships to study in Italy, fostering a vibrant two-way exchange of talent. The official launch of the ICGEB China Regional Research Center Offshore Laboratory will continue to inject vitality into global collaboration and knowledge sharing in the life sciences.

Future: More Than a Lab, an Innovation Community

Moving forward, the ICGEB China Regional Research Center will join forces with China Medical City to deeply integrate the offshore laboratory with innovative resources such as pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, universities, and science and technology innovation platforms. They aim to establish a regular cooperation mechanism, accelerate technology incubation, promote industrial synergy, expedite the translation of achievements, and achieve a precise alignment between offshore innovation resources and local industrial needs, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the regional pharmaceutical industry.