Why Two of Europe’s Brightest AI Medical Minds Just Moved to China

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Fudan University has just added two of Europe’s most respected medical scientists to its ranks: Roland Eils and Irina Lehmann. Known globally for their pioneering work at the intersection of AI and medicine, the married duo brings decades of experience from leading institutions like the Berlin Institute of Health, Charité University, and the University of Heidelberg.

Eils, a computational biologist, was listed among the world’s most cited researchers in 2022 and has shaped Germany’s digital health strategy for years. Lehmann, a top epigenetics and molecular epidemiology expert, has led EU-funded machine learning projects tackling asthma and chronic respiratory diseases. Together, they’ve published over 1,000 scientific papers cited more than 100,000 times

Their move to China is more than a career switch—it’s a sign of shifting global scientific gravity.

Why Fudan? Why Now?

Fudan University is ramping up efforts to become a global powerhouse in AI-driven medicine. In 2022, it established the Intelligent Medicine Institute to merge deep tech with life sciences. The goal is to turn China into a leader in medical innovation, moving beyond hardware and manufacturing toward brainpower and biotech.

The institute’s first global summit in 2023 attracted researchers from around the world and signaled China’s ambition to shape the future of digital health. Eils and Lehmann's appointment adds significant credibility and firepower to that mission.

While Western governments debate over research decoupling and security, China is quietly offering world-class labs, funding, and academic freedom in frontier sectors like AI medicine.

They will also launch a German-Chinese joint laboratory at Fudan, potentially becoming a new bridge between Europe and China in the medical AI space.

The Strategic Significance

Eils and Lehmann’s expertise goes beyond academic research. They’ve led high-impact projects like the COVID-19 virus mechanism mapping, built AI models using genomics and retinal scans, and developed early detection systems for metabolic diseases. Their presence in China could accelerate domestic breakthroughs while positioning China as an exporter of AI-based medical technologies.

This aligns with China’s broader strategy to localize innovation, attract global talent, and reduce reliance on Western health technologies.

Talent Magnetism: A Quiet Brain Gain

China has shifted gears from being a brain drain country to a brain magnet. While Western governments debate over research decoupling and security, China is quietly offering world-class labs, funding, and academic freedom in frontier sectors like AI medicine. Recent hires like former Apple engineer Kong Long at Fudan show that this isn’t a one-off—it’s a trend.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, more than 80,000 foreign experts worked in China’s universities and research institutions in 2023, an increase from previous years.

China’s AI Medicine Push

China has identified healthcare AI as a strategic priority in its Five-Year Plans. Backed by enormous health data sets, an aging population, and top-down policy support, it is uniquely positioned to scale medical AI. From using large language models in diagnostics to deploying real-world health applications, China is not just catching up—it’s carving out a new path.

The arrival of global leaders like Eils and Lehmann sends a clear signal: China is not just a manufacturing superpower—it wants to lead the future of medicine.