VSMU and Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine join forces in the fight against Alzheimer's disease

On June 16, 2026, VSMU hosted an important meeting of the university's leadership with a delegation from the School of Acupuncture and Moxotherapy of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (PRC). The main outcome of the negotiations was the signing of an agreement on the joint submission of an application within the framework of the key special program "Intergovernmental international cooperation in the field of scientific and technical innovations" between the Republic of Belarus and the People's Republic of China.

The parties agreed to implement a large-scale scientific research project "Clinical study of acupuncture intervention in early Alzheimer's disease based on the gut–brain axis." The project aims to study the fundamental mechanisms of the influence of acupuncture on neurodegenerative processes and to find new approaches to the treatment of one of the most common diseases of the elderly.

VSMU and Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine have a long-standing partnership. Back in August 2021, as part of the Dialogue between the rectors of Chinese and Belarusian universities, an Agreement on Academic cooperation was signed, which laid the foundation for the development of further cooperation. Over the years, the parties have held a number of joint events, including conferences and online lectures, where staff and students of VSMU listened to speeches by professors, doctors of sciences and teachers of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The new project will be a logical continuation of many years of cooperation. Its uniqueness lies in its integrated approach: the experimental part on animals will allow us to study the molecular and physiological mechanisms of the effect of acupuncture on the gut–brain axis in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, and a clinical observational study involving Belarusian and Chinese patients will provide an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture techniques in real clinical practice.