Last week saw the Deputy President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Professor Lin Zhongqin, and a senior group of SJTU officials join local staff, State Government representatives and guests to officially open the Joint UA-SJTU Laboratory for Plant Science and Breeding. The Laboratory, led by Professor Dabing Zhang, is the first joint agricultural initiative to come to fruition between the two Universities as part of the Australia/China Centre for Agriculture and Health agreement, signed in 2013.
The opening involved the unveiling of the plaque in the Plant Genomics Centre, with speakers from both Universities highlighting the benefits of the partnership and their plans for further development of mutually beneficial collaborative opportunities. As well as the laboratory opening at the Waite, the SJTU group was in Adelaide to sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding as well as meeting with senior UA staff to discuss financial, strategic and operational management matters.
The SJTU group also enjoyed a short tour as part of their Waite visit on Thursday, and is pictured with Professors Mike Brooks and Bob Hill in the winery.