January 30, Kunshan ‘ Dr. Li-Qun Xu, Chief Scientist of China Mobile Research Institute paid a visit to Duke Kunshan University (DKU). Dr. Xu met with DKU’s senior leaders and a global health research team to explore future collaboration opportunities between DKU and China Mobile on leveraging mobile technologies to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Dr. Xu has been a chief scientist at China Mobile Research Institute since April 2010, after working for 20 years in the UK, of which the first 6 years as Post-doctoral researcher and faculty member in Universities and last over 13 years at BT, one of the largest telecommunication companies in Great Britain.
Dr. Haiyan Gao, DKU’s vice chancellor for academic affairs, welcomed Dr. Xu’s visit and introduced the university’s education and research development plans. Then DKU’s NCD research team, led by Prof. Lijing L. Yan, part of the university’s Global Health Research Center, presented to Dr. Xu three research projects that apply mobile technologies in improving human health. The projects include: the SimCard project that evaluates the effects of a simplified cardiovascular management program through using a customized electronic decision support system in Tibet, China and Haryana, India in which China Mobile is a partner; a study led by Prof. Abu Abdullah on evaluating the efficacy of an automated behavioral informatics system to increase physical activity level of family members of diabetes patients in Shenzhen, China; and the TAKEmeds project, funded by World Heart Federation, which aims to increase the evidence-based cardiovascular medication use through physicians-centered mobile app and patient-centered text messages.
In exchange, Dr. Xu introduced their interest and research & development projects enabling wellness & fitness promotion and easiness for healthcare, resulting in pilot products: i-Shang, a series of mobile apps to help monitor exercise, sleep, calories burnt, detect arrhythmia, facilitate post-operation heart care, etc. In his presentation, Dr Xu emphasized that as one of the top Chinese telecommunication companies, China Mobile cares more about the true impact of the study and what happens after the study ends, to have a sustainable value proposition and bring real healthcare benefit to the target users and service providers. He envisioned a win-win situation that can be achieved through collaborating with DKU.
Other participants of the meeting included Ms. Na Wu from China Mobile, Dr. Chaoyun Li, Ms. Melinda Shu Chen, and Mr. Xiaolin Xu from DKU.
