Cambridge University's former vice-chancellor Nigel Slater has joined Zhejiang University in Hangzhou to collaborate with Chinese scientists on next-generation cancer therapies. The veteran academic is applying vaccine technology to advance tumour immunotherapy, reflecting a strategic realignment in global scientific collaboration.
Nigel Slater, a veteran academic who spent over three decades shaping science and innovation at Cambridge University, has joined Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. He previously served as professor of chemical engineering, dean of Fitzwilliam College, and director of Cambridge's department of chemical engineering.
“While my primary motivation for working with Zhejiang University is research, I very much enjoy and derive great satisfaction from teaching young undergraduate students, who are highly enthusiastic and keen to learn about biological medicines,” he said last week.
Slater formally began his role at Zhejiang University in October last year—four years later than planned due to pandemic-related travel restrictions. He had originally intended to transition immediately after retiring from Cambridge in 2020 under the university's age-limit policy. Now, he brings a lifetime of expertise to China's cutting-edge research ecosystem, focusing on developing next-gen cancer therapies using vaccine technology for tumour immunotherapy.
This move is fuelled by both personal ambition and global scientific realignment, highlighting trends in international talent flowing to China's biotech sector.