A research contract was signed between the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Institut Merieux, France in the afternoon of January 17, 2011. An IBP Professor, Jiachang Yue, and Mr. Christian Brechot, Vice President of Institut Merieux signed the contract under the witness of Professor Tao Xu, IBP Director-General and other leaders from both sides.

A graduate from Tsinghua University, China in 1978, Professor Yue is a principal investigator at the Center for Infection and Immunity, IBP. He has been working on biosensor for many years and has extensive experience and expertise in the area of development novel applications of biosensor. He is now developing novel rotary biosensor chips for more sensitive, cheaper and faster methods to detect viruses with simple device, which will be used in diagnosis of viral infectious diseases. Institut Mérieux, a world famous bio-industry company, aims to combat infectious diseases, cardiovascular pathologies and cancers. During the recent years, Institut Mérieux developed a policy of financing research based on the provision of grants to enable high value-added research projects that covers the whole of the healthcare chain: prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, immunotherapy and clinical follow up. In the next few years, Institut Mérieux will provide financial assistance for Professor Yue’s work on constructing vital virus biosensor through protein motor F0F1-ATPase.

During the signing ceremony, both IBP and Institut Merieux expressed their hope to develop long term mutual beneficial cooperation in more areas.