Bulletin Summer 1988

production, microbiological utilization of solid wastes, and education in applied microbiology and biotechnology. On 2nd August, a special session was held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of GIAM Conferences. Another special session was held on 4th August to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the department of biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. In this second special session, three plenary lectures were delivered by alumni of the department. Professor T.W. Wu, an alumnus of 1966 and currently professor of clinical biochemistry at the Toronto General Hospital and University of Toronto, illustrated the logistics Towards the molecular diagnosis of myocardial infarction'. Professor W.C. Leung, an alumnus of 1970 and currently professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Arkansas for Medica l Sciences, disclosed the 'Expression and secretion of recombinant proteins in filamentous fungus'. Dr. K.L . Tao, an alumnus of 1964 and currently on the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, described the relationship of 'Micro-organisms and seed storage'. Two round table discussions were held on 5th August, on 'UNEP/UNESCO supported-MIRCEN activities' and on 'Biotechnology safety'. A Satellite Symposium on the 'Utilization of Solid Lignocellulosies by the Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinus edodes)’ was also held on 5th August. The conference was attended by over 400 delegates and renowned experts from 43 countries and regions, including Professor Patricia H. Clarke of UK, Professors H. Okada and S. Aiba of Japan, Professor Rita R. Colwell of USA, Professor M. Moo- Young of Canada, Professor C.G. Heden of Sweden, Professor C.K. Tseng of China, Professor R.C.C. Huang of USA, Professor Edward C. Cocking of UK, Professor K. Esser of West Germany, Professor H. Zedan of UNEP in Kenya, Dr. EJ . DaSilva of UNESCO in Paris, and Professor G. Hamer of Switzerland. Major speeches and lectures of the conference were compiled and edited into a proceedings of 790 pages under the title Recent Advances in Biotechnology and Applied Biology which was published and made available at the conference by the Chinese University Press. During the conference, alumni of the department also hosted a reunion banquet in the celebration for the 25th anniversary of the department in Sheraton Hotel on 2nd August. All lecturing staff as well as Professor P.G. Miles, visiting professor of the department, and Professor P.C. Huang, were invited to the occasion. Dr. S.Y. Hu, senior lecturer of the department from 1968 to 1975, was one of the special guests returning from overseas to attend the banquet. Over 120 alumni showed up for the reunion. Since many eminent scientists and representatives from international agencies were present at the conference, several pre- and post-conference meetings were also conducted on campus and hosted by the department of biology: a) UNESCO Regional Workshop on Biotechnology in the Utilization of Solid Wastes, from 26th July to 5th August; b) ISMS-JSTEC 2nd meeting of the organizing committee of the International Symposium on Mushroom Biotechnology which is to be held in November 1989 in Nanjing, China, from 28th to 31st July; and c) Computer Conference on Impact of Biotechnology together with participants of the Rethinking International Governance Group, from 6th to 7th August. This computer conference was chaired by Professor Carl Goran Heden, president of the World Academy of Art and Science. Other participants included Professor Harland Cleveland of the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and formerly U.S. Ambassador to NATO; Professor John Craven, director, Law of the Sea Institute, University of Hawaii; Professor Carl Hodges, director, Environmental Research Laboratory, University of Arizona; Professor Hahn-Been Lee, former university president and deputy prime minister of the Republic of Korea; and Mr. Mochtar Lubis, director general of the Press Foundation of Asia, Indonesia. Three meetings were also held during the conference by a) coordinating boar d of UNESCO Regional Network for Microbiology in Southeast Asia from 1st to 3rd August, b ) ICRO Panel on Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology on 2nd August, and c) MIRCENs directors on 4th August. 12