The Chinese National Human Genome Center in Shanghai announced Wednesday that progress has been made in research cooperation projects in genomics with the Swiss-based pharmaceuticals company Roche and Chinese genome centers.

The announcement was made by an official of the center at the ongoing four-day International Symposium on Environmental Genomics and Pharmacogenetics, which opened here Monday.

Devoted to investigating the cause of certain diseases in the Chinese population and to developing new innovative diagnostics and medicines, Roche has committed to investing over US$1 million to carry out research on candidate genes with the National Human Genome Centers in Shanghai and Beijing, so as to identify disease-related genes by conducting genetic epidemiology studies and functional genomics.

The fields of interest include central nervous system (CNS)- related diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and stroke, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity in the Chinese population.

Dr. Klaus Lindpainter, director of Roche Genetics, said that after decoding the human genome, importance has been placed on research of the gene-related function. Genetics research will help mankind select the most appropriate ingredients for the development of new drugs.

The cooperation between Roche and Chinese scientific institutes includes academic exchange programs, such as sponsored exchange visits for young Chinese scientists from the collaborating centers.

(People's Daily 05/17/2001)