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It is the aim of the paper to reflect on the lessons learned after ten years of existence of the Sino-French School for Engineering at Shanghai University (utseus), as well as on perspectives for an evolution related to recent developments in the French Higher Education landscape. The authors present background, rationale, modalities and perspectives for this venture set up by three French universities of technology in China by drawing parallels with other well-established Sino-foreign operations. It is shown that the combination of transnational and international approaches allow for transferring and adapting a foreign education model on a large scale, but also for establishing reciprocal mobility of big student cohorts. The approach is based on an integrated foreign language learning and intercultural content. This successful experience also shows how universities play an integrative role for a country’s cultural and industrial relations at an international level.

Molecular biology (and particularly PCR) has been increasingly used for the diagnosis of parasitic protozoa of medical interest. Technical improvements in the past decade include: simplification of DNA extraction, development of automated procedures and of real-time PCR permitting precise quantification of parasitic load. In clinical practice, PCR is routinely used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women and in immuno-compromised patients. It can be useful for the diagnosis of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis and to differentiate the pathogenic amoeba Entamoeba histolytica from the morphologically identical but non-pathogenic Entamoeba dispar. Its use for malaria remains limited due to high cost. Molecular biology methods facilitate the study of parasitic populations and could be useful to identify possible relationships between a particular genotype and virulence.