Scientists from Tsinghua University and Peking University awarded with Bayer Endowed Chair and Bayer Investigator
So far, more than 220 Chinese scientists have won relevant awards and grants
Beijing, China, April 1st, 2025 - Bayer, together with Tsinghua University and Peking University, today unveiled the Bayer China Academic Collaboration Award 2024, including Bayer Endowed Chair, Bayer Investigator, Bayer Microfunding as well as Bayer Postdoc. Bayer China Academic Collaboration Award aims to work closely with prestigious Chinese universities to honor and fund distinguished scholars with outstanding achievements in life sciences, medical science as well as drug research and development, to strengthen communication and coordination between the pharmaceutical industry and academia, and to advance application and translation of fundamental research to drug discovery and development, thus accelerating breakthrough innovations that will benefit patients.
This year, the scientists awarded the Bayer Endowed Chair are Professor Chunhua Yan from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering (CCME) of Peking University, and Professor Feng Qian from School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Tsinghua University. A total of nine scientists from Peking University and Tsinghua University became Bayer Investigator through the selection of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) composed of Bayer experts and senior scholars from the top two universities in China. Assistant Professor Kai Ma from School of Biomedical Engineering, Associate Professor Zhihua Liu from School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Associate Professor Xia Wang from School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Tsinghua University received funding support from the Bayer Microfunding program on their scientific research projects. In addition, three outstanding young researchers from Peking University grew into Bayer Postdoc.
“I would like to congratulate all the Chinese scientists who have won the Bayer China Academic Collaboration Award. It is your unremitting endeavors that has driven the rapid advancement of China’s basic scientific research and innovation capabilities,” said Dr. Anastasia Hager, a JSC member for Bayer Academic Collaborations in China, Senior Vice President of Research and Development and Head of Drug Discovery Sciences of Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “We are very proud that Bayer is one of the first multinational pharmaceutical companies to establish collaboration with local research institutions and universities. In China, an important source of global innovation, we have accumulated continuous interests and are committed to discovering cutting-edge innovative achievements, actively exploring in-depth collaboration with research institutions, biotech companies and other partners, allowing innovation in China to make greater contributions to global pharmaceutical sector and patient benefits.”
As an integral part of its long-term commitment in China, Bayer attaches great importance to and continues to pay attention to local scientific collaboration and strongly supports China's original innovation and new drug research and development. The company has established long-term strategic partnership with Tsinghua University and Peking University since 2009 and 2014 respectively. The partnerships not only pioneer scientific research collaborations between multinational pharmaceutical companies and local academic institutions in the country but also set examples of the synergetic development and collaborations between industry and academia on advancing drug innovation.
“The 16-year strategic collaboration between Tsinghua University and Bayer has profoundly promoted the integration of scientific spirit and industrial practice. Relying on Tsinghua University’s disciplinary and platform advantages in life sciences, the two sides have explored a new path of deep integration and win-win development in academic exchanges, talent support, scientific research collaboration, and have made a series of breakthroughs in cutting-edge areas such as target discovery and peptide drug development. This has not only promoted Tsinghua’s related disciplines to the forefront of the world, but also helped optimize and upgrade Bayer’s global pipeline. At the same time, our university continues to integrate interdisciplinary resources to promote the rapid transformation of research results from the laboratory to the clinic,” said Professor Hongwei Wang, Vice-President of Tsinghua University, a member of the Joint Steering Committee and recipient of the Bayer Endowed Chair 2018. “Looking to the future, Tsinghua looks forward to a deeper level of collaboration with Bayer: first, focusing on key areas such as oncology, immunology, rare diseases and cardiovascular precision treatment, accelerating the verification of original targets and the development of new therapies; second, strengthening the integrated application of artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-omics technologies, and building a new paradigm of data-driven drug development; finally, leveraging our School of Medicine and Bayer Co.Lab, creating a full-chain ecosystem of ‘basic research-technology incubation-industry landing’. We firmly believe that by unremittingly promoting the collaborative innovation of ‘industry, academia, research and medicine’, both parties will jointly overcome major disease challenges and provide more breakthrough solutions for patients around the world. After 16 years of collaboration, our intention remains unchanged; on the new journey, we have a mission on our shoulders. In the future, Tsinghua will write a new chapter of international innovative collaboration with Bayer with a more open attitude and cutting-edge layout, and contribute Chinese wisdom and global value to the cause of human health!”
“More than the past decade, Peking University and Bayer have forged a collaborative journey marked by remarkable achievements in talent development, academic exchange, and scientific innovation. Leveraging its profound academic heritage and pioneering spirit, Peking University actively integrates resources, drives cutting-edge discipline development, and sustains a robust talent cultivation system to fuel continuous advancements in science and technology”, said Professor Xuemei Chen, Dean of the School of Life Sciences at Peking University, a member of the Joint Steering Committee and recipient of the 2022 Bayer Endowed Chair 2022. “Looking ahead, we aspire to deepen our collaboration with Bayer in critical fields such as oncology, cardiovascular and renal diseases, immunology, and cell and gene therapies. Together, we aim to accelerate progress in frontier technologies for novel drug target discovery and development, jointly tackling scientific challenges. With unwavering resolve, we will advance breakthroughs in biomedicine to promote human health, delivering greater hope and well-being to patients worldwide. Together, we will write a brilliant new chapter in the global pursuit of health and medical innovation.”
As of now, more than 220 Chinese eminent scientists and young scholars have won Bayer Endowed Chair and Bayer Investigator awards. In addition to establishing the awards, Bayer’s scientific research collaboration with the two research institutions has also achieved fruitful results. So far, Bayer and these two academic partners have carried out 105 research collaboration projects, including discovery and structural analysis of novel targets, pathogenesis and drug mechanism of action research, drug screening, efficacy evaluation as well as exploration on new modalities, new synthetic methods and innovative formulations, covering multiple therapeutic areas, such as, oncology and cardiovascular diseases.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
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The full list of the Bayer China Academic Partnership Award 2024 winners
