A researcher from the China-Portugal Joint Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Public Health Technologies stated today that the project is having a “direct impact on global public health” through several innovations designed to combat epidemics.
Lara Lopes, who is also the clinical director of the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Portugal, told Lusa that the laboratory serves as proof that science can act as a bridge between distinct cultures and healthcare systems. She emphasized that the goal is to develop practical, accessible, and effective solutions for Lusophone communities, utilizing low-cost, rapid-response technologies designed for resource-limited contexts where urgency is high.
Established in December 2024, the laboratory is a partnership involving the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering – Research and Development (INESC-ID), Guangzhou Medical University, the Guangzhou National Laboratory, and the Macau University of Science and Technology.
The laboratory operates under a co-management regime with teams stationed in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra, as well as in the Chinese cities of Macau, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. Its mission centers on integrating multimodal data to develop epidemiological forecasting and precision diagnostic technologies, creating an intelligent platform for the prevention and control of epidemics relevant to Portuguese-speaking nations.
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Notably, it is the only laboratory of its kind linking Chinese research institutions with a Western European country.
Lopes indicated that the project has already developed a product line characterized by low cost and simplified operation, primarily targeting Brazil and Lusophone countries in Africa. She highlighted a rare reversal of the usual technological flow, as these solutions are now being introduced within China itself.
This shift recognizes Portugal’s strategic role as a gateway for China into Europe and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). One major achievement mentioned was the Portuguese translation of a clinical manual from Guangzhou’s Eighth People’s Hospital regarding Dengue fever, which boasts a 98% success rate in severe cases by integrating Western and Chinese medicine.
The protocol is currently being distributed to healthcare professionals across Portugal, the six African CPLP member states, and the Brazilian clinical community. Furthermore, the laboratory has developed a modular testing system described as a “laboratory in a suitcase” that is USB-rechargeable and specifically designed for virus detection (such as Flu, COVID-19, and Nipah) in regions with limited infrastructure.
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Other innovations include a pure phyto-aromatic repellent free of synthetic chemicals, an integrated epidemiological forecasting machine capable of real-time outbreak prediction based on multimodal data, and a screening robot for febrile patients.
In September, during a visit by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro to China, an agreement was signed to create the Trusted Research Environment. This isolated technological platform is designed for the secure access, management, and analysis of sensitive data, ensuring confidentiality and regulatory compliance in these international scientific collaborations.
