On the 50th anniversary of celebrating diplomatic relations between China and France, Guangzhou Medical University (GMU) and CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) made an agreement of establishing an joint research institute through the collaboration between scientists at GMU and Dr. Jules Hoffmann, the 2011 Nobel Prize laureate, and his team. This agreement was initiated and fully supported by the Guangzhou city and the Guangdong provincial governments. On October 12, 2013, the Sino-French Hoffmann Institute (SFHI) was officially opened. Prof. Dr. Jules Hoffmann serves as the honorary director.

SFHI is located at the Panyu Campus of Guangzhou Medical University. In 2015, SFHI was selected for leading a key project (immunology discipline) of the High-Level universities Program in Guangdong Province. In 2018, SFHI was selected as one of the National Innovation Bases for Higher Education Universities (111 Center) (Innate Immunity Mechanism Studies). In 2018, SFHI was selected as the institution which is qualified for the Pearl River Scholars of Guangdong Provincial Department of Education. SFHI is also the place where the Regional Office of International Anti-Virus Alliance is located.

The research at SFHI is mainly focused on the mechanisms of innate immunity governing animal immune systems. The research directions cover both basic and applied / clinical aspects of Innate Immunity, including allergic and viral immunity.

SFHI (including affiliating groups and guest professors) has 33 full professors and associate professors, among which are 1 Laureate of Nobel Prize, 2 National 1000 talents, 2 Chinese Academy of Sciences 100 talents, 1 Youth Pearl River Scholar, 1 Guangdong Youth Specialist, 5 foreign scientists; 44 lecturers or assistant researchers. There are currently 7 post-docs; 15 PhD students; 73 master students.

The chairmen of the scientific advisory board of SFHI are Professor CAO Xuetao (Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences) and Professor ZHONG Nanshan (Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering).  members of scientific advisory board include: Professor Bruce A. Beutler (Laureate of Nobel Prize), Professor Jean François Bach (Academician of the French Academy of Sciences), Professor James Chen (CHEN Zhijian) (Academician of the American Academy of Sciences), Professor Jean Paul Thiéry (National University of Singapore), Professor TIAN Zhigang (Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China), Professor CHENG Genhong (Director of Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine), Professor SU Bing (Director of Shanghai Institute of Immunology), Professor ZHENG Limin (Dean of Life Sciences College, Sun Yat-Sen University), Professor YIN Zhinan (Director of the Translational Medicine Institute, Jinan University).