Newsletter No. 5

CUHK Newsletter H o n g Kong 一 Shanghai Biotechnology Development Centre Established The Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology (HKIB) recently signed an agreement with the Shanghai Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences (SBCAS) to establish a Hong Kong- Shanghai Biotechnology Development Centre. The centre will capitalize on thebiotechnologicalresearch strengths of SBCAS as well as the strategic position of HKIB in the region to commercialize novel biotechnology products targeted for the world market. The biotechnology industry of Hong Kong will definitely benefit from the research experience and technical expertise of SBCAS which has over 11,000 technicians and research staff. HKIB on the other hand will provide the know-how in marketing and the commercialization of biotechnology products. It will also arrange training in management and administration for exchange scholars from SBCAS. The offices of the new centre to be set up in both Hong Kong and Shanghai will be managed by an administration committee with support from HKIB on the provision of management services and office and laboratory facilities. Prof. Dominic Man-Kit Lam, director of HKIB, is an honorary professor of the Cell Biology Institute of SBCAS. Prof. Tai-an Wang, deputy director of the Cell Biology Institute, is a senior consultant of HKIB. Meantime, the HKIB received the first donation by a biotechnology related industry in Hong Kong - the Hong Kong Soya Bean Products Company Ltd. To commemorate its 50th anniversary, the company donated HK$ 1,000,000 to HKIB to support research on food and nutrition. HKI B Formed Its Project Evaluation Committee The Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology (HKIB) has recently formed a Project Evaluation Committee to assess the viability of its research projects and their potential for commercial development. Sir Jack Cater is the chairman of the committee and other members include Sir David Akers-Jones, chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority; Prof. S. T. Chang, chairman of the department of biology, CUHK; and Prof. M. H. Ng, head of microbiology, University of Hong Kong. Ex-officio members are Prof. Charles K. Kao, chairman of HKIB's Board of Directors and Prof. Dominic Man-Kit Lam, founding director, HKIB. The committee will help promote joint ventures between HK IB and the government, the industries, or academic institutions to develop a biotechnology industry in Hong Kong. They will give advice on the relative merits of proposals submitted by various sources to HKIB for consideration and evaluate commercialization strategies planned for various biotechnological projects. 4