VaxLab Held the 10th Quarterly Meeting in Chongqing

The 10th quarterly meeting of the Innovation Lab for Vaccine Delivery Research(VaxLab) was held in Chongqing from July 9 to 10, 2026.
The meeting brought together experts from centers for disease control and prevention (CDCs) in Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province, Chongqing Municipality, Xi’an, Suzhou, and Huai’an, as well as representatives from research teams at Zhejiang University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Duke Kunshan University.
The meeting opened with welcome remarks delivered by Professor Shenglan Tang, Co-Director of the Global Health Research Center at Duke Kunshan University, and Dr. Heng Du, Chief Program Officer of the Beijing Representative Office of the Gates Foundation. Professor Tang reviewed VaxLab’s recent achievements in vaccine policy research and implementation science and emphasized that VaxLab will further strengthen collaboration with CDCs at all levels. VaxLab will leverage implementation science research and policy evidence to support the optimization of China’s National Immunization Program (NIP), promote vaccine policy innovation, and enhance research capacity.
Dr. Du highlighted the critical role of implementation science in improving the quality of public health decision-making and facilitating the translation of vaccine policies into practice. She expressed hope for closer collaboration between academic institutions and CDCs to jointly advance the high-quality development of immunization services in China.
Representatives from the VaxLab team reviewed the progress made since the ninth quarterly meeting. They reported continued advancement in implementation science through research projects, policy advocacy, and international collaboration, the launch of multiple new collaborative projects with local CDCs, and the publication of several new peer-reviewed papers. The team has focused its policy research and advocacy on topics including the inclusion of Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in the China’s NIP, diversified immunization financing, and maternal immunization, continuously providing scientific evidence to support the optimization of China’s NIP and vaccine policymaking.
Regarding project collaboration, this quarterly meeting focused on the launch and implementation of a new round of VaxLab implementation science research collaborations. Since September 2025, VaxLab has continued to deepen its partnerships with local CDCs and universities, initiating seven new collaborative projects, successfully completing one project, and preparing two additional projects.
In terms of collaboration with local CDCs, experts from CDCs in Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province, Chongqing Municipality, Xi’an, Suzhou, and Huai’an shared their project designs and preliminary progress on topics including HPV vaccine implementation, vaccination with non-NIP vaccines among children, sustainable development of immunization programs, and the integration of medical care and public health services. Discussions focused on evaluating vaccination implementation, optimizing service delivery models, and pathways for policy translation.
Experts from universities and CDC systems also provided comments on research design, methodological approaches, data utilization, and implementation pathways. Drawing on both scientific research and frontline public health practice, they offered recommendations to optimize project implementation and provided technical support for the next stages of the studies.
Ms. Qing Wang, Deputy Director of the Chongqing CDC, noted that HPV vaccination coverage still has room for improvement in some regions. Based on local immunization practice, she emphasized that implementation research should place greater emphasis on translating research findings into practical intervention strategies. She further stressed the importance of strengthening policy translation and tool development to ensure that research outputs are transformed into locally applicable strategies, ultimately improving vaccination coverage and optimizing immunization services.
Regarding university collaborations, Professor Xiaolin Xu from Zhejiang University introduced the team’s recent progress in research on the determinants of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and rotavirus vaccine (RV) uptake, as well as healthcare utilization. Based on real-world data, the study explores vaccination coverage, influencing factors, and health economic value, providing evidence to support future vaccine policy evaluation and the optimization of China’s NIP.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Professor Shenglan Tang delivered the closing remarks. He stated that, with continuous expert guidance and ongoing refinement, the research designs and implementation plan for the eight collaborative projects in this round have all achieved notable progress. CDC teams across different regions have actively initiated preparatory work, demonstrating strong enthusiasm for research and excellent implementation capacity. Looking ahead, VaxLab will continue to provide methodological support and professional guidance for all collaborative projects, promote the production of high-quality scientific research outputs, and strengthen policy translation through policy briefs, academic exchanges, and other dissemination activities, so that research evidence contributes to the optimization of China’s National Immunization Program and public health practice.