On 28 November, Professor Rolf Bjerkvig of the University of Bergen, Norway, and Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences, alongside Professor Milos Pekny of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences, visited the Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory. They were accompanied by Professor Wang Jian, Professor of Neurosurgery at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University. Professor Li Xingang, Deputy Director of the Laboratory, and Principal Investigator Zhang Di received and escorted the delegation.
The delegation toured the laboratory's exhibition hall and multiple core research platforms, including multi-omics, animal models, and pathology facilities. They gained detailed insights into the laboratory's operational framework, core technological capabilities, and its pioneering achievements in cutting-edge biomedical fields—particularly in gut-brain axis regulation and engineered probiotic development. The experts commended the laboratory's high-calibre platform development, advanced research equipment, and clear disciplinary development strategy, engaging in on-site discussions regarding technical details and application prospects.
During the symposium, Professor Li Xingang extended a warm welcome to Academician Rolf Bjerkvig, Academician Milos Pekny, and their delegation. He provided a detailed overview of the laboratory's establishment background, development strategy, primary research directions, and plans for international collaboration. He emphasised the laboratory's strong commitment to engaging with leading international research teams, expressing hope that this visit would establish close ties with both academicians and their respective institutions to jointly explore collaborative opportunities in microbiome biomedicine and related fields.
Academician Rolf Bjerkvig and Academician Milos Pekny expressed gratitude for the warm reception and shared their latest research advances and insights in the fields of microbiome-neuroimmunology, neuro-oncology interactions, and glial cell studies. They concurred that the Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory possesses distinctive research directions and significant development potential, presenting numerous potential collaboration points with their respective research domains. Professor Wang Jian offered constructive suggestions on potential collaborations between basic research and clinical medicine translation, drawing upon clinical practice. During the symposium, the three parties engaged in multifaceted discussions regarding potential collaborative research topics, personnel exchanges, and resource sharing, reaching preliminary consensus on advancing substantive cooperation in subsequent stages.
Also attending the event were relevant personnel from the Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory
