Researchers in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS) have developed national and international collaborations of mutual benefit. In an international environment, a diversity of opinions and experiences are exchanged, expanding problem-solving techniques, sharing resources, and attaining research grants and a mutually beneficial, higher level of research.
Fei Chen, PhD, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and a researcher in lung and liver cancer, has collaborated with scientists in China for a number of years. "Some collaborations are for joint training of graduate students; others are for resource sharing, such as tissue samples that are not readily available in the United States," Chen said. Since 2009, he has trained three doctoral students from two Chinese universities and co-authored five publications since 2006 with his Chinese collaborators.

Educational and research institutes in China are very interested in collaborations. "It can help them to receive project funds or center grants from the Chinese government," Chen explained He cited his collaboration with Dr. Hongwen Zhao of the China Medical University, who won a major grant from the Chinese government two years ago.

In turn, this collaboration benefits Chen in the ability to obtain human tissue samples at a cost savings. Among his collaborations, he works with Dr. Jian-Guo Chen of the Nantong University and Qidong Liver Center Institute. The two researchers study protein kinases and the stem cells of human cancer. Through his association, he is able to obtain lung and liver tissue research samples that are not readily available in the United States or expensive to attain here. His ability to obtain these tissue samples provides key support for new NIH grant proposal funding.

Photo cutlines: Dr. Fei Chen's Laboratory Staff: ( front row, from left) Jiaying Sun rom China Medical University, joint training PhD student 2012-14; Chitra Thukar, post doctoral fellow; Miaomiao Yu from China Medical University, joint training PhD student 2012-2013; Yongju Lu, lab manager; Lingzhi Li, graduate student.. (back row, from left) Ping Qin and Bailing Chen, both post doctoral fellows; Kai Wu, graduate student; Dr. Fei Chen, principal investigator; Qingshan Chang, post doctoral fellow.