The University of Macau (UM) has long been committed to advancing research into the mechanisms and quality of Chinese medicine. By bringing together scientists from around the world, UM fosters innovation, nurtures talent, and strengthens Macao’s growing Chinese medicine industry.
UM’s advancements in pharmacology and toxicology
In the 2024–2025 U.S. News & World Report global rankings, UM achieved 33rdplace in pharmacology and toxicology. Research in these fields at UM is primarily driven by the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine (SKL-QRCM) and the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS), alongside contributions from the university’s various other academic units.
Distinguished Professor Chen Xin, director of SKL-QRCM and ICMS, says that SKL-QRCM has established robust systems for research and education. Recent initiatives include the establishment of the Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine (MCR&DCM), the Macao Centre for Testing of Chinese Medicine (MCTCM), and the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences (CPRS). Each of these centres plays a crucial role in supporting the development of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Faculty of Health Sciences. SKL-QRCM has set international quality standards for over ten types of Chinese medicine in the United States Pharmacopeia, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and European Pharmacopoeia. Laboratory members have received several prestigious awards, including the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (Second Prize) in 2016 and the First Prize International Contribution Award from the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies in 2021. Moreover, SKL-QRCM was honoured with the Medal of Merit—Professions by the Macao SAR Government in 2022.
Mechanism-based quality research in Chinese medicine
Prof Chen explains that integrating the latest scientific advances, including those in modern biomedical science, into Chinese medicine research provides a viable pathway for modernising and internationalising traditional Chinese medicine while enhancing the quality development of the Chinese medicine industry. This approach involves uncovering the biological mechanisms and material basis that underpin the clinical effectiveness of Chinese medicinal products, as well as establishing a quality research framework based on these mechanisms. With this vision in mind, SKL-QRCM focuses on improving clinical efficacy and ensuring the high-quality application of Chinese medicine. Through in-depth research into effective substances in Chinese medicine and their biological mechanisms, SKL-QRCM has achieved pioneering outcomes—including biomarkers, techniques, and methods—that support quality and safety control in Chinese medicine. By clarifying the scientific rationale behind the efficacy of Chinese medicine, SKL-QRCM has advanced the modernisation, commercialisation, and internationalisation of Chinese medicine, contributing to its growth both in Macao and nationwide.
Prof Chen also emphasises the importance of conducting research on Chinese medicine quality standards based on biological functions and mechanisms. SKL-QRCM focuses its research on the relationships between active ingredients and their effects on the body, ensuring that quality standards accurately reflect a medicine’s clinical effectiveness. SKL-QRCM primarily focuses on the following critical research areas: quality research in Chinese medicine based on medicinal mechanisms, safety evaluations using toxicology, quality assessments through new technologies and new methodologies, commercialisation of research outcomes in Chinese medicine, and regulatory sciences. In terms of disease research, the laboratory focuses on tumours, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative conditions, as well as liver and metabolic disorders. Additionally, in interdisciplinary research, the laboratory is exploring advanced bioactive materials, synthetic biology, and AI applications in Chinese medicine research.
In 2020, the China Association for Science and Technology identified ten key scientific questions shaping the future of research. One of the questions was: ‘What are the mechanisms by which Chinese medicine regulates immune function in the human body?’ In response, SKL-QRCM has initiated systematic research to explore the various cellular and molecular mechanisms through which Chinese medicine influences immune regulation. They have identified the TNFR2 signalling pathway as a potential therapeutic target for cancer and autoimmune diseases, drawing considerable attention from researchers and the industry worldwide. The laboratory’s research team has also made significant original contributions by discovering how TNFR2 signalling regulates immunity and establishing it as a potential drug target. They have discovered that tetrandrine activates the mTNF-TNFR2 pathway, while other substances, including scutellarin, isoquercitrin, and rubiginosin B, inhibit TNFR2 signalling, thus producing immunomodulatory effects.
The adoption of new technologies and methodologies has greatly enhanced the laboratory’s capacity for scientific innovation. For example, a research team has developed an AI-driven screening method using machine learning to identify kaempferol and rhapontigeninfrom over 3,700 small molecules in Chinese medicine. These two substances, when administered in safe dosages, have proven effective in alleviating the pathological phenotypes of Alzheimer’s disease in Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse models.
Developing innovative Chinese medicine products
Building on extensive research into the mechanisms and quality of Chinese medicine, SKL-QRCM is also dedicated to developing products that meet international standards and possess branding potential. In October 2020, the Macao SAR Government approved the establishment of MCR&DCM, bringing together resources to drive product development and commercialisation. The centre collaborates with universities in mainland China, leading companies specialising in Chinese medicine, and institutions in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macao.
Prof Li Peng, deputy director of ICMS and director of MCR&DCM, explains that SKL-QRCM has established joint laboratories with leading universities and companies from mainland China, leading to more than 20 collaborative projects that cover innovative drug research, the development of classical prescriptions, the enhancement of premier ingredients, and the development of health and wellness products. ‘By partnering with enterprises in mainland China, we have advanced several classical Chinese medicine prescriptions into pilot production and initiated the registration process here in Macao,’ says Prof Li. In addition, SKL-QRCM researchers have secured numerous patents in Chinese medicine, and incubated many Chinese medicine technology enterprises.
Supporting pharmaceutical testing and regulation
MCTCM was officially inaugurated in November 2024. The centre is positioned as an authority on Chinese medicine quality control. Distinguished Professor Li Shaoping, deputy director of SKL-QRCM and director of MCTCM, explains, ‘MCTCM offers comprehensive testing services—from registration and production to logistics and export. We also take on government-assigned tasks such as registration, supervision, arbitration, and emergency testing, and we provide technical support for businesses.’
Strengthening regulatory sciences in key areas of Chinese medicine can enhance the innovative development of the regulatory concepts, systems, and mechanisms in Chinese medicine. It will also facilitate the commercialisation of research findings and accelerate the development and market entry of new products. To strengthen regulatory capabilities for healthcare products in Macao and across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and promote cross-sectoral, cross-regional, and international collaboration, UM established CPRS in 2023. The centre’s key functions include assisting the Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau of Macao with technical evaluations of proprietary Chinese medicines and medical devices; conducting research on regulatory science, policy, and legal frameworks; developing new regulatory tools, standards, and methods for drug evaluation and regulatory decision-making.
Promoting academic collaboration
In addition to its research efforts, SKL-QRCM actively collaborates with universities worldwide. In October 2023, the laboratory launched the Traditional Medicine Innovation Alliance with leading universities from Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea. In March 2024, it co-founded the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance for Acupuncture with the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. In recent years, the laboratory has also co-hosted seminars and postgraduate forums with institutions including the University of Oxford, Tsinghua University, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Korea University, the University of Tokyo, and the University of Sydney. Furthermore, scholars from SKL-QRCM serve as editors for several academic journals, includingChinese Medicine. Published by Springer Nature, this international journal enjoys a strong academic reputation.
Providing pharmaceutical education
To develop professionals in medicine and pharmaceutics, SKL-QRCM has offered master’s programmes in Chinese medicine and pharmaceutical administration since 2002, as well as a PhD programme in biomedical sciences since 2004. In 2022, it introduced a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences in collaboration with UM’s Faculty of Health Sciences, followed by a new Master’s in Pharmaceutical Administration in 2023. In recent years, SKL-QRCM has also signed dual-degree agreements with universities in mainland China, providing student exchange opportunities.
Giving back to the community
SKL-QRCM also provides a wide range of services to the Macao community. Since the Law on Pharmaceutical Activity in the Field of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Registration of Traditional Chinese Medicines was enacted in 2021, several SKL-QRCM experts have been appointed to the Commission of Experts and Advisors for the Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicines, offering essential guidance on the registration and quality of Chinese medicine products and supporting decision-making of the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of Macao. SKL-QRCM also offers Continuing Professional Development courses on topics such as new drug development and evidence-based medicine, collaborates with the Health Bureau on a breast cancer risk assessment project, and hosts science activities for over 40,000 primary and secondary students.
Advancing the Chinese medicine industry
With Macao’s ‘big health’ industry growing steadily, centred on Chinese medicine R&D and manufacturing, Prof Chen Xin emphasises that SKL-QRCM will continue to innovate Chinese medicine while preserving its traditions. The laboratory will develop modern pharmaceutical preparations of traditional Chinese medicine, including classical prescriptions, promote scientific and technological innovation in the field, encourage the integration of traditional medicine with cutting-edge technologies, and enhance interdisciplinary research between biomaterials, artificial intelligence and synthetic biology. ‘Through in-depth research into the mechanisms of Chinese medicine, we are aiming for original breakthroughs in quality and safety control. This work supports the Chinese medicine industry both in Macao and across the country,’ he says.
Chinese & English Text / Davis Ip
Photo / Jack Ho, Editorial Board
Source:UMagazineISSUE 30
Related articles:
Translating Chinese medicine research into real-world applications
Chinese medicine and interdisciplinary integration
