Building Innovation through Connection
We’re thrilled to unveil a dynamic series of collaborative research projects powered by the Fudan–Warwick Joint Seed Fund 2025. Over the next 12 months, these initiatives will bring together brilliant minds from both institutions to spark ground-breaking ideas and forge powerful academic partnerships.
With a shared vision for excellence and impact, these projects showcase the strength of global collaboration, blending complementary expertise to tackle complex challenges and drive forward transformative research.
Dive into the stories behind the science and discover how innovation thrives when borders disappear...
Sneaking past the Brain’s Gatekeeper: A Global Effort to Improve Drug Delivery for Alzheimer’s and Brain DiseasesLink opens in a new window
The brain is protected by a powerful shield called the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). It acts like a security system, keeping harmful substances out, but unfortunately it also blocks many helpful medicines from getting in. This makes treating brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and brain cancer incredibly difficult.
This international project brings together experts in medicine, polymer chemistry, genetics, and machine learning. It builds on previous collaborations between Warwick and Fudan and includes a newly funded PhD student focused on this challenge. The goal is to unlock the principles that will allow more efficient ways to deliver life-changing treatments into the brain, making current therapeutic options better and enabling novel approaches for future drugs.
Using AI to Understand what's Beneath our FeetLink opens in a new window
A new research project is using artificial intelligence (AI) to help us better understand what’s going on underground, especially in places where we don’t have much data. This is important because what lies beneath the surface affects everything from building safety to protecting natural resources.
This project is also building a strong partnership between the two universities, with joint research, academic exchanges, and publications that could shape the future of GeoAI: AI applied to earth sciences.
International Team Reexamines Black Hole Physics Using New X-ray DataLink opens in a new window
Black holes are fascinating objects, yet their origins and how they grow by accreting mass remain deeply mysterious. One of the most straightforward ways to study them would be to take a direct image of a black hole and its immediate surroundings. However, this is an immense challenge; the nearest stellar-mass black hole is 3000 light-years away. Observing it in detail is as difficult as trying to see a virus from the distance of the Moon.
By combining advanced computer simulations with real telescope observations, the team aims to improve the way we study black holes, helping scientists plan better future missions and secure funding for new research.
Reimagining Sleep Monitoring with AI and Wearable TechLink opens in a new window
Sleep is vital for our health, helping us recharge, heal, fight off illness, and keep our brains working properly. But understanding sleep in detail, especially for diagnosing disorders, usually requires a complex and expensive lab test called polysomnography (PSG). This involves hooking people up to multiple sensors to track brain waves, eye movement, muscle activity, and heart rate, followed by hours of expert analysis.
This project lays the foundation for future breakthroughs in sleep science, with the potential to improve public health, support better sleep treatments, and make sleep monitoring more accessible to everyone.