Reporter : Gao Yali
Publisher : China Science Daily, Science Net
Ref : http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2020/3/437300.shtm
Translation, editing : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
"It is necessary for China's top universities and research institutes to strengthen the prevention and control of major infectious diseases as soon as possible. In practice, we should refer to the construction and operation management mechanisms of such facilities in the United States and other developed countries to rationally adjust our country's current P3 Policies on the construction and operation of laboratory facilities. "Zhang Jingren, Deputy Dean of the School of Medicine of Tsinghua University, pointed out in an interview recently organized by the China Association for Science and Technology.
In fact, research on pathogens of major infectious diseases requires biosafety level 3 (P3) and level 4 (P4) laboratory protection facilities. After the SARS epidemic, China has established nearly 30 P3 laboratories and 2 P4 laboratories, of which P4 laboratories are located in the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Harbin First Medical Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The P3 laboratories are mainly concentrated in the country and local CDC.
"Due to the limitations of the CDC's functions and talent reserves, these facilities have made little contribution to enhancing China's strength in the prevention and control of new types of infectious diseases. China's high-end talents for basic research in biomedicine are mainly concentrated in first-class universities and research institutes, but only a few P3 laboratories are located in universities and research institutions." Zhang Jingren said.
He pointed out that in the past 10 years, the number of new P3 laboratories in China has been few. Beijing has gathered the most famous universities in China and world-class biomedical research talents, but Beijing ’s universities do not have a high-level biosafety laboratory. In contrast, all medical schools in the United States have at least one P3 laboratory platform.
Why is China's P3 laboratory platform scarce? Zhang Jingren believes that the main reason is that there is a general lack of reasonable and scientific understanding of such facilities. In the approval standards for platform construction, they overemphasize their risk and potential negative effects in terms of pathogen leakage. "In this context, the threshold for the construction of such facilities is too high. The approval procedures are too cumbersome, and the construction and operation are expensive. "
Zhang Jingren suggested that the public and relevant management personnel should be popularized with scientific knowledge related to biosecurity, and have sufficient understanding of the necessity and importance of advanced biosecurity facilities. On the basis of ensuring the safe operation of facilities, a batch of world-class P3 laboratory platforms will be built in top universities in China.
In addition, Zhang Jingren also pointed out that after the end of SARS, China has gradually stopped systematic research on the virus and its related diseases. He said, "At present, we still do not have effective drugs and vaccines against these viruses. One of the key mistakes is not using SARS and existing information on viral infections to establish reliable animal infection models. "
"Medications and vaccines against human diseases first need to be initially validated in animal models before they can be extended to humans. Without effective animal models, there are no good medicines and vaccines. Only when we usually study such pathogens in detail and understand their biological characteristics, we can discover new medicines and vaccine targets. "Zhang Jingren said.
Publisher : China Science Daily, Science Net
Ref : http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2020/3/437300.shtm
Translation, editing : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
"It is necessary for China's top universities and research institutes to strengthen the prevention and control of major infectious diseases as soon as possible. In practice, we should refer to the construction and operation management mechanisms of such facilities in the United States and other developed countries to rationally adjust our country's current P3 Policies on the construction and operation of laboratory facilities. "Zhang Jingren, Deputy Dean of the School of Medicine of Tsinghua University, pointed out in an interview recently organized by the China Association for Science and Technology.
In fact, research on pathogens of major infectious diseases requires biosafety level 3 (P3) and level 4 (P4) laboratory protection facilities. After the SARS epidemic, China has established nearly 30 P3 laboratories and 2 P4 laboratories, of which P4 laboratories are located in the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Harbin First Medical Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The P3 laboratories are mainly concentrated in the country and local CDC.
"Due to the limitations of the CDC's functions and talent reserves, these facilities have made little contribution to enhancing China's strength in the prevention and control of new types of infectious diseases. China's high-end talents for basic research in biomedicine are mainly concentrated in first-class universities and research institutes, but only a few P3 laboratories are located in universities and research institutions." Zhang Jingren said.
He pointed out that in the past 10 years, the number of new P3 laboratories in China has been few. Beijing has gathered the most famous universities in China and world-class biomedical research talents, but Beijing ’s universities do not have a high-level biosafety laboratory. In contrast, all medical schools in the United States have at least one P3 laboratory platform.
Why is China's P3 laboratory platform scarce? Zhang Jingren believes that the main reason is that there is a general lack of reasonable and scientific understanding of such facilities. In the approval standards for platform construction, they overemphasize their risk and potential negative effects in terms of pathogen leakage. "In this context, the threshold for the construction of such facilities is too high. The approval procedures are too cumbersome, and the construction and operation are expensive. "
Zhang Jingren suggested that the public and relevant management personnel should be popularized with scientific knowledge related to biosecurity, and have sufficient understanding of the necessity and importance of advanced biosecurity facilities. On the basis of ensuring the safe operation of facilities, a batch of world-class P3 laboratory platforms will be built in top universities in China.
In addition, Zhang Jingren also pointed out that after the end of SARS, China has gradually stopped systematic research on the virus and its related diseases. He said, "At present, we still do not have effective drugs and vaccines against these viruses. One of the key mistakes is not using SARS and existing information on viral infections to establish reliable animal infection models. "
"Medications and vaccines against human diseases first need to be initially validated in animal models before they can be extended to humans. Without effective animal models, there are no good medicines and vaccines. Only when we usually study such pathogens in detail and understand their biological characteristics, we can discover new medicines and vaccine targets. "Zhang Jingren said.
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