Recently, Jian Liu’s group from Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJE) in Zhejiang University published their lung cancer metastasis research entitled “Loss of Smad4 promotes aggressive lung cancer metastasis by de-repression of PAK3 via miRNA regulation” at Nature Communications by collaborating with multiple groups, including the Pro. Xiao Yang from State Key Laboratory of Proteomics in National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing) and Pro. Xiaotao Li from Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology in East China Normal University, and Pro. Dianwen Song from The First People’s Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. By developing different genetic mouse models mimicking lung cancer metastasis and the comprehensive mechanism studies, they revealed that the de novo role of SMAD4 in repressing lung cancer metastasis, independent of TGFβ, and the therapeutic targets (SMAD4/miRNA-495/PAK3) for treating lung cancer metastasis. Access to the publication：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24898-9Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and in China1. Over 85% of lung cancer patients harbor overt or subclinical metastases at diagnosis, and therefore most patients die of progressive metastatic disease despite aggressive local and systemic therapies1. SMAD4 is the crucial downstream transcription factor of the TGFβ pathway and has been found to have some somatic mutations and the decreased expression in human lung tumors2,3. Although Jian Liu et al. reported that Smad4 ablation promoted lung cancer development and metastasis, the mechanism of SMAD4 in regulating lung cancer metastasis remains unclear.    Jian Liu et al. have reported that ablation of Smad4 in mouse lungs could not cause cell hyperplasia and tumor formation2,6. This research found that some lung cancer patients harbored the mutations of KRAS, TP53, and SMAD4 in the same tumors by analyzing the TCGA lung cancer datasets. Therefore, this research generated KrasG12DTrp53flox/flox (PK) and KrasG12DTrp53flox/floxSmad4flox/flox (SPK) mouse models to mimic the lung cancer metastasis to investigate the role of SMAD4 in regulating lung cancer under the background of Kras mutation and Trp53 ablation. Moreover, this research found that the ratio of lung tumor metastasis in SPK mice was much higher than that of PK mice. By conducting the transcriptome analysis of the isolated lung tumor cells from PK and SPK mice, followed by the functional analyses (e.g., cell invasion), this research found that Smad4 ablation increased the mRNA and protein expression of PAK3 (Figure 1, Step 3), and consequently activated the JNK-JUN pathway of the downstream of PAK3 (Figure 1, Steps 4 and 5), and eventually promoted lung cancer metastasis. Unexpectedly, the negative regulation of SMAD4 on PAK3 is independent of TGFβ. Analysis of SMAD4 ChIP-Seq data showed that there was no SMAD4 binding on the PAK3 promoter. Furthermore, the exogenous expression of SMAD4 did not alter the luciferase activity driven by the PAK3 promoter. Thus, it indicated that the negative regulation of SMAD4 on PAK3 is independent of TGFβ, belonging to the non-classic role of SMAD4. Some published studies showed that the transcriptional regulation of gene expression could be regulated either by the promoter or the 3’ UTR7. This research further showed that Smad4 loss altered the luciferase activity driven by the PAK3 3’ UTR. Given that miRNA can negatively regulate gene expression by binding on the targeting gene’s 3’ UTR, this research raised a hypothesis that SMAD4 negatively regulates the PAK3 mRNA expression through miRNAs. Through the bioinformatical analysis, as well as the functional validations, this research found that miR-495 and miR-543, directly and positively regulated by SMAD4, mediated the negative regulation of SMAD4 on PAK3 (Figure 1, Steps 1 and 2). Clinically, the negative correlation between SMAD4 and PAK3-JNK-JUN was observed in a group of human lung cancer samples, including the control lungs, early-stage lung tumors, late-stage lung tumors, and metastatic lung tumors. In sum, this research identified SMAD4/miRNA-495/PAK3 to be the de novo targets in treating lung tumor metastases. Figure 1. The TGFβ-independent role of SMAD4 in regulating lung cancer metastasis Of note, the SMAD4 repression on PAK3 is independent of TGFβ since SMAD4 is a typical functional player of the TGFβ pathway. Moreover, they showed that miRNA-495 was able to prevent the lung cancer metastasis induced by Smad4 loss. The biggest challenge of the application of RNA drugs is the in vivo stability of RNA8,9. Given that the mRNA vaccine (Moderna) was successful against COVID-19, it suggested that the concerns of the low stability of RNA drug in vivo have been partially resolved during the clinical applications. Therefore, miRNA-495 against lung cancer metastasis may benefit developing clinical treatment. Dr. Jian Liu is the co-corresponding author of the article. In addition, the master student Feiran Gao (ZJE, 2020 entry) participates in this research. To overcome the difficulties of this research, such as a large number of genetic mouse experiments, the non-classic role of SMAD4, and the different stages of human lung cancer samples, all collaborators effectively communicated with each other and worked together. For example, Dr. Xiao Yang’s group was mainly responsible for generating the mouse models; Drs. Xiaotao Li and Lei Li’s group was mainly in charge of the mechanism investigation and the initial version of the manuscript; Dr. Jian Liu’s group took the responsibility to conduct all bioinformatic analyses, parts of experimental designs, and the whole revision process; Drs. Dianwen Song’s and Junjiang Fu’s groups collected the clinical samples. Meanwhile, the international collaborators also contributed to this research, including Dr. Nabeel Bardeesy from Massachusetts General Hospital of Harvard University, Dr. Kwok-kin Wong from Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center of New York University, and Dr. Robb E. Moses from Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center of Baylor College of Medicine.About Jian Liu’s lab (https://person.zju.edu.cn/en/jian_liu) References1.    Rebecca L Siegel, et al. Cancer statistics, 2019. CA Cancer J Clin (2019).2.    Xiaohong Tan, et al. Loss of Smad4 promotes aggressive lung cancer metastasis by de-repression of PAK3 via miRNA regulation. Nature Communications (2021)3.    Jian Liu. et al. ErbB2 Pathway Activation upon Smad4 Loss Promotes Lung Tumor Growth and Metastasis. Cell Reports (2015).4.    Jian Liu, et al. ERBB2 Regulates MED24 during Cancer Progression in Mice with Pten and Smad4 Deletion in the Pulmonary Epithelium. Cells (2019).5.    Ran You, et al. IL17A regulates tumor latency and metastasis in lung adeno and squamous SQ. 2b and AD. 1 cancer. Cancer immunology research (2018)6.    Jian Liu. et al. JNK1/2 represses Lkb1-deficiency-induced lung squamous cell carcinoma progression. Nature Communications (2019)7.    Yuval Malka. et al. Post-transcriptional 3´-UTR cleavage of mRNA transcripts generates thousands of stable uncapped autonomous RNA fragments. Nature Communications (2017)8.     Ugur Sahin. et al. mRNA-based therapeutics — developing a new class of drugs. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery (2014)9.     Meirav Segal. Et al. Challenges identifying efficacious miRNA therapeutics for cancer. Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery (2020) 

Recently, ZJE post-doc Prasanth Manohar participated in the International Conference on Bacteriophage Research, delivering a talk on his research: Characterization of a novel bacteriophage PA01_φmotto infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and won the Young Scientist Award.The 2nd International Conference on Bacteriophage Research was held virtually and there are more than 500 participants and 15 guest speakers from various countries./Profile/Prasanth Manohar’s work on bacteriophages focuses mainly on the application of phages in medicine to cure antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Mainly working on Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages which are top priority pathogens needing alternative treatments.Contact Email: PrasanthM@intl.zju.edu.cn

Recently, two undergraduate students from Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJE) in Dr. Jian Liu’s research group published a review entitled “Comparison of COVID-19 and Lung Cancer Via Reactive Oxygen Species Signaling” at Frontiers in Oncology. This article reviews the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their associated signaling pathways, NRF2, HIF-1, and Nf-κB, in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and lung cancer (Figure 1) and suggests the interplay between the two diseases. The HIF-1 and Nf-κB pathways are upregulated in both diseases, leading to inflammation, oxidation, tumor cell proliferation, and metastasis. Thus, the authors suggest that targeted therapies to these pathways, such as miRNA and plant-derived chemicals, are attractive and deserve further study in treating both diseases. Given that COVID-19 and lung cancer are two severe pulmonary diseases that cause millions of deaths globally, understanding the dysregulated signaling pathways between them can benefit treating the related patients. Our work emphasizes the significance of ROS in the two mutually impacted pulmonary diseases and would provide a clue in developing more novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for them.Dr. Jian Liu is the corresponding author of the article. Undergraduate students Zilan Zhu and Ziyi Zheng (2018 entry) from ZJE are co-first authors. Of note, although the ZJE undergraduates are almost fulfilled with multiple education tasks, this review was finished by them within six months. Access to the publication:  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.708263/abstract In June 18th 2021, Dr. Jian Liu published an article entitled “Dependency of human and murine LKB1-inactivated lung cancer on aberrant CRTC-CREB activation” at Elife as a co-author. this study provides direct proof for an essential role of the CRTC-CREB activation in promoting the malignant phenotypes of LKB1-null lung cancer and proposes the CRTC-CREB interaction interface as a novel therapeutic target. Access to the publication: https://elifesciences.org/articles/66095 At the end of March 2021, Jian Liu’s lab and Aifu Lin’s lab in College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, published an article entitled “LncRNAs: Architectural Scaffolds or More Potential Roles in Phase Separation” at Frontiers in Genetics together. This article reviews the functions of phase separation and associated studies of lncRNAs. This review will facilitate our understanding of the formation and function of phase separation and the role of lncRNAs in these processes and related biological activities. A deeper understanding of the formation and maintaining of phase separation will benefit disease diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Jian Liu is the co-corresponding author of the article. Postgraduate student Feiran Gao (2020 entry) from ZJE is a co-author. Access to the publication: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.626234/full In early March 2021, Dr. Jian Liu published an article entitled “Progesterone receptor isoform B regulates the Oxtr-Plcl2-Trpc3 pathway to suppress uterine contractility” at PNAS as a co-author. In this study, a novel transgenic mouse model was established to reveal the mechanism of uterine contraction. Access to the publication: https://www.pnas.org/content/118/11/e2011643118/tab-article-info In January 2021, Dr. Jian Liu published an article entitled “Mitochondrial long non-coding RNA GAS5 tunes TCA metabolism in response to nutrient stress” at Nature Metabolism as a co-author. In this study, the authors investigated the molecular mechanism of mitochondrial lncRNAs regulating TCA metabolism in response to nutrient stimulation. Access to the publication: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-00325-z About Jian Liu’s lab (https://person.zju.edu.cn/liujian;）Dr. Jian Liu’s lab studies cancer biology, epigenetics, and gene editing and aims to promote the targeted therapy of squamous cell lung carcinoma. Currently, the lab explores the molecular mechanism of lung cancer (especially squamous cell lung carcinoma) through the combination of clinical database, transgenic mouse models, and sequencing. Dr. Jian Liu’s E-mail address: JianL@intl.zju.edu.cn; Look for the self-motivated Postdocs.

The second cohort of students to graduate with a Dual Award from The University of Edinburgh and Zhejiang University celebrated their achievements at an event on 22 June. The graduates were joined at the celebration by their friends and staff at the Institute, as well as receiving messages of congratulations from Prof Peter Mathieson, the Vice President of ZJU Prof He Lianzhen, the Dean of International Campus Prof Ouyang Hongwei, the ZJE Executive Dean Prof Sue Welburn, and the Dean of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Edinburgh Prof Mike Shipston, the ZJE Vice Dean Prof Linrong Lu as well as many staff who have been with them on this journey.     In the vastness of space and the boundlessness of timeIt is our good fortune to share the same starry sky and the same period of timeZJE will always be your strong backing, accompanying you to further distances and brighter lights.

Recently, Dr.Wanlu Liu from Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute and Prof. Steven E. Jacobsen from UCLA published an article, entitled Ectopic targeting of CG DNA methylation in Arabidopsis with the bacterial SssI methyltransferase, on Nature Communications. The study shows that targeting the CG-specific methyltransferase M.SssI with an artificial zinc finger protein to the promoter of the Arabidopsis FLOWERING WAGENINGEN (FWA) gene can establish heritable CG methylation and silencing of FWA in Arabidopsis (Figure 1). In addition, the author observes highly heritable widespread ectopic CG methylation mainly over euchromatic regions (Figure 2 A, B). By using the techniques including WGBS, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, etc., the author identified the Differentially methylated region (DMR), analyze the epigenetic marks on these DMRs, and study the relationship between the CG methylation and other epigenetic modifications. In addition, by analyzing the DMRs across multiple generations of Arabidopsis, the author studies the inheritance pattern of ectopic CG methylation.  Dr.Wanlu Liu is the first author and co-corresponding author of the article. The undergraduate student from Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute Yuxing Zhou participates in the research. AbstractDNA methylation is an evolutionarily conserved epigenetic modification that plays critical roles in regulating gene expression, silencing transposable elements, genomic imprinting, X-chromosome silencing, etc. In Arabidopsis, DNA methylation occurs within three sequence contexts: CG, CHG, and CHH (where H represents A, T, or C). The maintenance of CG methylation requires the DNA methyltransferase METHYLTRANSFERASE 1 (MET1, the homolog of mammalian DNMT1), while maintenance of CHG and CHH methylation redundantly requires CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 (CMT3), CMT2, and DRM2. Using techniques including zinc fingers (ZF), TAL, or CRISPR/Cas9 to target epigenetic marks like DNA methylation to specific loci is important in both basic research and in crop plant engineering. However, the heritability of targeted DNA methylation, how it impacts gene expression, and which epigenetic features are required for proper establishment is mostly unknown.Figure 1By comparing ectopic CG methylation and other epigenetic modification, the author finds that ectopic methylation occurs preferentially at less open chromatin that lacks positive histone marks. Although the ectopic CG methylation is enriched in the gene body region, this hypermethylation shows little effect on transcription (Figure 2 C-E). The author also observes that the ectopic methylation triggers a mild but significant reduction in the accumulation of H2A.Z and H3K27me3. By analyzing through four generations of Arabidopsis, the author observes the significant heritability of the CG methylation region. These results outline general principles of the heritability and interaction of CG methylation with other epigenomic features that should help guide future efforts to engineer epigenomes.Figure 2

The Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA) is run for and by students. EUSA represents and supports >40,000 Edinburgh students, with the aim of promoting their interests, health and welfare within the University community.Each year, EUSA organises the Teaching Awards. These Awards give students an opportunity acknowledge staff and celebrate the best of teaching and support at the University.This year, nine members of ZJE staff were nominated for awards in four categories:For ‘Outstanding Course’: Joanne Murray, Richard Sloan and Kuan Yoow Chan.For ‘Supervisor of the Year’: Rob Young, Sebastian Leptihn and John Menzies.For ‘Personal Tutor of the Year’: Sander van den Driesche.For ‘Teacher of the Year’: Nico Romano, Sebastian Leptihn and Melanie Stefan.Congratulations to all nominees and thank you to all the ZJE students who took the time to nominate their teachers.https://eusa.ed.ac.uk/whatson/awards/teachingawards/rollofhonour

Several ZJE faculty members have been nominated for Teaching Award from  the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA). EUSA TeachingAwards are a student-run initiative to recognise and celebrate the best in teaching and student support from across the University of Edinburgh.This year, ZJE staff members have been nominated across several categories, including Outstanding Course (Joanne Murray, Richard Sloan),  Supervisor of the Year (Sebastian Leptihn, John Menzies, Melanie Stefan, Robert Young), Teacher of the Year (Sebastian Leptihn, Nicola Romanò, Melanie Stefan), and Personal Tutor of the Year (Sebastian Leptihn, Sander Van den Driesche). A full list of nominations can be found here:https://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/yourvoice/ourwork/teachingawards/rollofhonour/

Recently, Zhejiang Provincial Government announced the commendation list of "West Lake Friendship Award" in 2020, and Professor sue Welburn, executive dean of ZJE, won the award. congratulation! About the West Lake Friendship Award "West Lake Friendship Award" is the highest award set up by Zhejiang Provincial  Government in recognition of the outstanding contributions made by foreign experts in Zhejiang Province's economic construction, social development, foreign cooperation and exchange, and personnel training. A total of 50 experts were selected. Prof. Sue Welburn is responsible for providing academic leadership and directing teaching, research and enterprise strategies within ZJE, shaping the future of educational partnership between Edinburgh and Zhejiang and forging new collaborative research opportunities between the Institute and partners.

Recently, Aaron T. Irving of ZJU-UoE Institute published a perspective article titled " Lessons from the host defences of bats, a unique viral reservoir " in Nature.Bats are rich reservoirs of many zoonootic viruses, with a unique host defence system. Lessons from the effective host defence of bats would help us to better understand viral evolution and to better predict, prevent and control future viral spillovers.Article:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03128-0 Picture: The potential zoonotic transmission cycle for coronaviruses. (published in Nature)Article summary:There have been several major outbreaks of emerging viral diseases, including Hendra,Nipah, Marburg and Ebola virus diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)—as well as the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Notably, all of these outbreaks have been linked to suspected zoonotic transmission of bat-borne viruses. Bats—the only flying mammal—display several additional features that are unique among mammals, such as a long lifespan relative to body size, a low rate of tumorigenesis and an exceptional ability to host viruses without presenting clinical disease. Here the authors discuss the mechanisms that underpin the host defence system and immune tolerance of bats, and their ramifications for human health and disease.Dr Irving’s research group focuses on emerging zoonotic viral infections, the host-pathogen interactions triggered by these viruses and comparative immunology of bats.Email：aaroniriving@intl.zju.edu.cnPersonalPage:https://person.zju.edu.cn/en/aaronirving

Zhejiang University is seeking candidates and nominations for the position of Dean of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJE).  Building on the existing strengths of its world leading partners the ZJE focuses on biomedical and health science, particularly stem cell and regenerative medicine, inflammation and immunity, infectious diseases, etc. ZJE brings together the best practices of Zhejiang University School of Basic Medical Sciences and the University of Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences.  ZJE is a unique and successful partnership between two World leading Universities and awarded the Education Institutional Partnership of the Year 2018-2020: Zhejiang University ranks 53rd in the QS World Rankings 2020; University of Edinburgh ranks 20th.  ZJE is situated at Zhejiang University International Campus Haining, 80 miles southwest of Shanghai and 50 miles northeast of Hangzhou. The International Campus, Zhejiang University is major pillar of ZJU’s internationalization strategy. Position Summary Zhejiang University seeks to appoint a visionary scientist and educator able to lead ZJE into the future through a rapidly changing scientific and research funding environment.  The Dean will facilitate ZJE’s ambition to build a world leading educational and research partnership in biomedicine of international standing, connecting scientific endeavour to society through teaching, basic and translational research and entrepreneurship.  This is a unique opportunity for an innovative leader and accomplished scientist to join one of the leading international education and research joint institutes in China. Required Qualifications 1. supports the values of ZJU and our partnership with the University of Edinburgh (UoE), including international collaboration and transnational education,2. understands the value of biomedical science research, research-led education and its benefits for all humankind,3. able to make a compelling case to scientific, research and education leaders for the support and promotion of ZJE research and education globally,4. able to implement the strategic vision to strengthen this prestigious Institute and lead it toward its core mission to develop the model of international education partnership.5. demonstrates integrity and cultural sensitivity,6. has had senior-level scientific administrative experience, including demonstrated ability to manage a large complex research and teaching institute. 7. is an innovative first class internationally renowned researcher, qualified in a field relevant to the scientific priorities of the Institute, who understands the importance of novel approaches for the development of biomedical science research,8. has profound understanding of national and regional development strategies, particularly the “Double First-class Initiative” and the Integrated Development of Yangtze River Delta,9. fluent in English and Mandarin. Salary and BenefitsSalary commensurate with education and experience. The positions are also eligible for a comprehensive benefit package of Zhejiang University.How to ApplyClosing date for receipt of applications is February 28, 2021. Interested applicants are invited to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching and research accomplishments, as well as three references to:   Ms. MaTel: +86-571-88981345  18258283979Email: zjurcb@zju.edu.cnFax: +86-571-88982640Diversity, Inclusion & BelongingZhejiang University is fully committed to achieving the goal of a diverse and inclusive academic community of faculty, staff and students. We seek individuals who are committed to our mission “Empower future international leaders and citizens with skills, passion, ambition, resourcefulness, and knowledge (SPARK) to enable them to change their world”.

The article Encapsulation and Delivery of Therapeutic Phages by Dr. Belinda Loh received the special honour to be featured on the cover of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.https://aem.asm.org/content/early/2020/12/08/AEM.01979-20 AbstractIn the article, the authors describe methods for the encapsulation of bacteriophages that can be used as biological antibiotics. With the increasing number of multidrug resistant bacteria, alternatives to antibiotics are desperately needed and therapeutic phages present a solution to solve the antibiotic crisis. ContactDr.Sebastian LeptihnEmail: leptihn@intl.zju.edu.cnWeb:https://leptihn-lab.org

On 6th January, ZJE 2020 Annual Review Conference & 2021New Year Party was held in Multi-functional Hall. All ZJE faculty, staff and postgraduates gathered together, to sum up the extraordinary 2020, and looking forward to the new 2021. 2020 is the special year for everyone. Prof.Sue Welburn and Prof. Linrong Lu gave great speeches for the work summary of 2020. Looking back on this year, ZJE has made remarkable achievements in student training, talent recruitment and scientific research construction, especially in the case of epidemic situation, ZJE has created various surprises. Prof. Hongwei Ouyang also affirmed the achievements of ZJE and looked forward to the bright future of ZJE. Five-Year Service Award and Person of the Year 2020Faculty, staff and students prepared various excellent programmes for the party, everyone enjoyed it and had a wonderful night.

Mr. Sicheng Zhou, first year graduate student co-mentored by Dr. Wenwen Huang (ZJE) and Dr. Weiliang Shen (SAHZU), has been awarded second prize of ZJU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Congratulations! Figure: Award CertificateZJU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition aims to support the development of translational research and novel technologies which positively impact the biomedical research society and human health. In this competition, the collaborative project, “De novo design of injectable biomimetic hydrogels for rapid bone/cartilage regeneration”, provide new insight into the design rules of thermo-responsive injectable biomaterials for the non-invasive treatment of knee osteoarthritis.  Figure: Sicheng Zhou presenting the collaborative project, “De novo design of injectable biomimetic hydrogels for rapid bone/cartilage regeneration”. Figure: Prize Award Ceremony

Zhejiang University – The University of Edinburgh InstituteUndergraduate Programmes for International Students（Integrative Biomedical Sciences/Bioinformatics）Are open to Apply for 2021I. About ZJU-UoE InstituteThe Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJE Institute) is a collaboration in the field of Biomedical Sciences between Zhejiang University of China and The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The two universities established an international research institute at the International Campus of Zhejiang University in Haining, Zhejiang, that builds on the existing strengths of both, and aims to foster collaborations in teaching and research. The Institute provides undergraduate education programmes that produce students with academic excellence, leadership skills, innovative capacity and global vision. Top-tier Universities in the worldZhejiang University (ZJU) is one of China's oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions. It is ranked 53rd in the 2020/21 QS world University Rankings. Founded in 1583, The University of Edinburgh (UoE) has been providing students with world-class teaching for more than 400 years. It is one of the world's top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50, and placed 20th in the 2020/21 QS World University Rankings. The University of Edinburgh is also ranked 4th in the UK for research power, based on the breadth and quality of its research.  II. Academic ProgrammesThe ZJU-UoE Institute offers all English taught undergraduate academic programmes in integrative biomedical sciences and biomedical informatics, and a Dual PhD programme, and plans to expand into other fields of medicine and science as it grows. Successful students receive biomedical science degrees from both UoE and ZJU when their study is completed. BSc Integrative Biomedical Sciences OverviewIntegrative Biomedical Sciences is a multidisciplinary degree programme that provides opportunities to investigate the biomedical sciences in the 21st century. The core structure of the programme provides the knowledge, skills and personal and professional development appropriate to meet the needs of a future career as a leader in biomedical science. The programme provides opportunities to develop skills and knowledge in the biomedical, physcio-chemical and clinical sciences. In addition, in later years focused optional courses provide opportunities to explore the biomedical disciplines of physiology, pharmacology, neuroscience, immunology, reproductive biology, medical microbiology and developmental biology. Integrative Biomedical Sciences is founded on developing skills in academic research and scientific enquiry thereby encouraging awareness and understanding of the research that is needed to continue to advance clinical practice. Alongside a depth of knowledge in Integrative Biomedical Sciences, graduates will have developed a breadth of skills and experience, including interpersonal skills, critical judgement and computer literacy.BSc Biomedical Informatics OverviewBiomedical informatics encompasses the study of information and computation in biology and health. Researchers in this area create computational tools to manage, share and study information and generate knowledge from biomedical data.The first year of the programme is an exciting exploration of the application of biomedical informatics, facilitating student development in the key areas of biomedical sciences. The programme will build extensively on the existing BSc Biomedical Sciences courses which students will study together with peers from this programme while introducing new courses in all four years. The goal of the programme is to train undergraduate students in the overarching principles of Biomedical Informatics and apply these skills in fundamental biomedical research.III. Dual DegreeStudents admitted to this international degree program are enrolled in both Zhejiang University and the University of Edinburgh. Students who successfully complete the program and meet the requirements of both universities will receive two bachelor’s degrees in their respective major fields and a graduation certificate of ZJU:·       Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Edinburgh·       Bachelor of Science from Zhejiang University·       Graduation Certificate from Zhejiang UniversityIV. LocationInternational Campus of Zhejiang University718 East Haizhou Rd., Haining, Zhejiang 314400, P.R. ChinaV. Enrollment, fees and ScholarshipsWe plan to enroll 20 international students. Scholarships are awarded on an individual basis to outstanding students. Fees·          Tuition fee: CNY 200,000 per year·          Accommodation on campus: CNY 8,000 per year·          International student medical insurance: CNY 800 per year. (Relevant medical insurance items can be found at www.lxbx.net).·          Living costs: CNY 20,000-40,000 per year (estimated)ScholarshipsThe Institute offers three types of scholarship support: Undergraduate Scholarship, Academic Scholarship and Overseas Scholarship. -Undergraduate ScholarshipThere are three rates for tuition fee waivers:A - 200,000 RMB waiver/year for 4 years (full fee waiver of all tuition fees)B - 140,000 RMB waiver/year for 4 years (student contribution 60,000 RMB/year)C - 80,000 RMB waiver/year for 4 years (student contribution 120,000 RMB/year) Academic Scholarship and Overseas Scholarship will be awarded during University study. Duration: 4 years (The scholarship will be reviewed and given on the condition that the student meets the requirements for satisfactory progress toward a degree and follows the rules of the ZJU-UoE Institute.)VI. Deadline for Application12:00 GMT +8, 15th April, 2020 VII. EligibilityRequired by ZJU registration regulation and Ministry of Education of the PRC, applicants shall be aged at 18-25, non-Chinese passport holders, high school graduates, mentally and physically healthy and must obey by Chinese law and University’s regulations, and respect Chinese culture and habits. For more detail, please review on ZJU international College: http://iczu.zju.edu.cn/english/redir.php?catalog_id=22210 Minimum academic requirements:SQA/HighersIBGCE A-levelABBB   by end of S5 or ABBBB/AABB from S4-S6, with a minimum of BBB achieved in one   year of S4-S6, to include Biology and Chemistry. Mathematics and/or Physics   are recommended. Qualified applicants are advised to take Biology and   Chemistry at Advanced Higher level where possible. National 5: Mathematics at   Grade B. English at Grade C. Overall   score of 32 points, including HL Biology and Chemistry, one at Grade 5 and   one at Grade 6. Mathematics and/or Physics are recommended. SL: English at   Grade 4 and Mathematics at Grade 4. If you are using English / English   Language at SL as part of the English language requirements, you must obtain   Grade 5.ABB,   in one sitting, to include Biology and Chemistry. Mathematics and/or Physics   are recommended. GCSEs: Mathematics at Grade B or 6 and English at Grade C or   4.. VIII. ApplicationWeb applications shall be made through：http://zje.intl.zju.edu.cn/Undergraduate students should plan to apply by April 15th, 2021 for full consideration. Submit required materials:  l  Personal Statement in application forml  2 referees – NOT parentsl  Degree certificate showing highest qualificationl  High school transcripts, scores on recognised tests such as ACT or SAT or IBl  English Language proficiencyl  And other material indicated on the admissions websiteApplications are reviewed based on all factors in the application record.Demonstrate English proficiency:  Students whose native language is not English should submit official results of TOEFL or IELTS tests. The Admissions team are seeking students who will be successful in our English-based instructional program. IX. AdmissionWill be determined according to evaluations based on applicants’ competitiveness and interviews.X. AccommodationInternational students at International Campus of Zhejiang University enjoy single room dormitory’s.XI. RegistrationThe usual on-campus registration period is late August or early September. The exact time will be specified in the matriculation notice. Students should apply for an X1 visa at a Chinese embassy or consulate. Usually a valid passport, matriculation notice, and JW202 Form are needed for the visa application. For registration, students should report to International Campus of Zhejiang University at the time specified in the admission letter with the following documents: a valid passport, matriculation notice, JW202 Form and an X1 visa. High school diplomas are required for students who have submitted pre-graduation certificate. Failure to do so will result into cancellation of admission.XII. Contact Person ZJU-UoE InstituteMs. Hannah HuangPhone: +86 571 87572813; Email: huangxiaohan@zju.edu.cn University of EdinburghMs. Natasha GoldieEmail: natasha.goldie@ed.ac.uk International College, Zhejiang UniversityMr. Zusen CaiPhone: +86 571 88981022; Email: caizusen@zju.edu.cn Office of Undergraduate Program, International CollegeOffice B125 East 1 Building866 Yu Hang Tang RoadZijingang Campus, Zhejiang University,Hangzhou, ChinaPost code: 310058 For more information, please refer to ZJU International College Homepage http://iczu.zju.edu.cn and ZJU-UoE Institute Homepage http://zje.zju.edu.cn/ 2021 ZJE Intl Recuitment Overview.pdf