LANZHOU - A Chinese medical laboratory Tuesday launched a joint program with Harvard University to study Tibetan herbal medicines, in an effort to see how they can help fight cancers.

Researchers from China's Tibetan Medicine External Preparations Engineering Lab (Gansu), together with professors of Harvard's School of Public Health, will use new pharmaceutical technology to explore the mechanism behind Tibetan medicines' efficacy, especially in treating cancers.

Harvard professor David Christiani said a number of traditional Tibetan herbal medicines can alleviate cancer symptoms and even prolong some patients' survival time.

"Clinically, we know these herbs help, but it is not quite clear why and how they work scientifically," said Chrisitiani, who will work on the program with three of his Harvard colleagues.

Tibetan medicines include more than 2,000 kinds of herbs that grow in Tibet, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan. Growing and collecting the herbs are one of the most important ways for Tibetans in these regions to make a living.

Zhu Xiaoxin, a senior researcher with the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, said the study on Tibetan medicines with advanced technologies could eventually help benefit patients.

Lei Jufang, chairman of Gansu Cheezheng Tibetan Medicine Co Ltd, said the study is expected to help improve the quality of her drugs and also benefit herb farmers.