Top Chinese Scientists Visit NIMR, Seek Joint Research on Vaccines, Infectious Diseases

A delegation of Chinese scientists led by renowned virologist and former Director-General of the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Prof. George Gao, has visited the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Lagos, to explore collaboration in infectious disease research and vaccine development.

The team, comprising experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China CDC, Peking University, and Shanghai Junshi Biosciences, held talks with NIMR management and researchers during the visit on March 28.

Speaking during the engagement, Gao said the visit was part of efforts to strengthen scientific cooperation with African institutions in addressing shared public health challenges.

“We are here looking for future collaborations in Nigeria. I have worked extensively in Africa and understand the public health landscape. There is a strong basis for partnership,” he said.

He noted that emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases require coordinated global responses, stressing that no country can tackle such threats in isolation.

Mpox vaccine development

The meeting featured technical presentations, including a session by Prof. Han Wang of Peking University, who highlighted ongoing work on next-generation Mpox vaccines.

Prof. Han Wang (Standing far right) making her presentation on Mpox vaccine development                                             _{Photo: NIMR/Tobi Ishola}

Wang identified high costs, safety concerns, and limited access as major drawbacks of existing vaccines, noting that some cost over $60 per dose, making them inaccessible in many African countries.

She disclosed that her team is developing a cost-effective vaccine using a “chimeric immunogen” approach, with early findings indicating stronger immune response and improved safety.

Beyond vaccine development, both sides identified genomic surveillance as a critical area of cooperation, particularly for early detection and monitoring of emerging pathogens.

Experts at the meeting stressed that strengthening sequencing capacity in-country would significantly improve Nigeria’s ability to respond swiftly to outbreaks and contribute to global disease intelligence.

The discussions also explored opportunities for joint clinical trials, with a focus on ensuring that new vaccines and therapeutics are tested within African populations to reflect local realities.

Participants noted that such collaboration would not only improve the relevance of medical innovations but also enhance regulatory and research capacity within Nigeria.

In addition, technology transfer and specialised training for Nigerian scientists featured prominently, with both parties acknowledging the need to build a new generation of researchers equipped with cutting-edge skills.

There were also indications that industry partnerships could be pursued to accelerate the translation of research findings into commercially viable health products.

DG calls for more partnership

Director-General of NIMR, Prof. John Obafunwa, said the institute is open to partnerships that will not only advance research but also strengthen local capacity.

He noted that while NIMR has made progress in research, there is a need to transition into large-scale production, particularly in vaccines and diagnostics.

“We have facilities we can start with, but we are still developing full vaccine production capacity. With the right collaboration, we can move from potential to impact,” he said.

Obafunwa also stressed the importance of focusing research on health challenges specific to Nigeria and Africa, rather than relying solely on externally driven priorities.

He highlighted the institute’s growing capabilities in molecular biology and genomics but called for support in technology transfer and training to reduce dependence on foreign laboratories.

“It is time we looked inward rather than depending on other countries for sequencing,” he added.

He, however, identified funding and infrastructure gaps as major constraints, noting that plans for a centralised research laboratory are yet to be realised.

Both parties expressed optimism that the engagement would lead to concrete projects, marking a step forward in Nigeria–China cooperation in medical research.