Ouhai Life and Health Town in Wenzhou, which opened to the public on Aug 1, is fast becoming a hub for the health care, bioscience and leisure service industries in East China.

The town, located in a picturesque region to the south of the Zhejiang province city near Daluo Mountain, Sanyang Wetland and Wenruitang River, is taking advantage of its superior geographic position and generous resource endowment to turn itself into a bioscience ecosystem nurturing businesses in smart health care, pharmaceutical research, bioscience technologies and medical equipment, nursing and elderly care, as well as tourism.

Ouhai has established a $75 million fund with the help of the municipal government and local entrepreneurs to support technical innovation inside the town, according to a manager at the town.

The 350-hectare town is home to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, the largest hospital in Wenzhou, and experts from higher education institutions such as Wenzhou Medical University and Wenzhou University.

Li Xiaokun, president of Wenzhou University, and his team recently moved to Ouhai to establish the Wenzhou Biomedical Innovation Center. His research on growth factor technologies is world-leading, and these achievements have led to the creation of new wound repair and skin protection drugs.

Li said that the transformation of pioneering research into innovative products is essential for the development of bioscience in China as people increasingly expect health conditions to improve and diseases to be prevented.

Li's team has introduced many advanced health care practices from abroad and cooperated with institutes such as the Jean Dausset laboratory at Paris's Saint Louis Hospital to launch new research programs.

Li Xiaokun, president of Wenzhou University, discusses the work his team is undertaking at Ouhai Life and Health Town. [Photo by Kan Yubing/chinadaily.com.cn]