BICalert

In mid-June 2007, Malaysia will play host to scientists across the Asia Pacific as the Asia Pacific Conference on Plant Tissue Culture and Agribiotechnology (APaCPA) is being held at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur. The event will be a setting which will facilitate the converging of the international and local scientific community, as well as the various stakeholders, in order to showcase and review the state of biotechnology in the Asia Pacific region and to provide a platform for greater exchange between them. APaCPA 2007 in Kuala Lumpur is only the fourth conference of a series established by the Asia-Pacific Association of Plant Tissue Culture and Agri-Biotechnology (APAPTC&A), the first having been held in Daejeon, Korea in 1993 followed by Beijing (1996) and Singapore (2000) respectively.

“The conference is a good opportunity for anyone and everyone in the field of biotechnology, as we have been given the consent by the association (APAPTC&A), to put the scope beyond plant tissue culture, and allow it to be all encompassing, catering for a wider spectrum of interest,” she remarked. “What we hope to achieve is to conduct a conference which is science-based, but also with the various links towards stakeholder groups. We did not wish to make it an industry-based conference as we already have BioMalaysia, and BiotechAsia for that purpose. Instead, the conference deals with hard science dealt in a simple way that links back to the industry, and should allow people, basically anyone who wants to know about biotechnology, to understand it better.”

The conference is slated to be a platform that allows the focus for discourse to extend to many areas in biotechnology. Some highlights of the conference include country status reports on what is happening in China, India, Korea and Malaysia, an orchid symposium, trade exhibition, biosafety sessions, as well as a business forum which will feature prominent industry guests from abroad, as well as representative panelists from various local stakeholder groups, including Dr. Wan Abdul Rahaman Wan Yaacob, Senior Vice President, Malaysian BiotechCorp, Dr. Harikrishna, President of MBIO and Professor Asma Ismail, Director of INFORMM. The forum will address issues in biotechnology associated with business and in line with the chosen theme, “Biotechnology for Better Food, Health and Quality Living”. It is anticipated that the Business Forum at the end of the conference will help delegates to assess the challenges and opportunities for Biotech in the Asia Pacific region so as to ensure that responsible use of the technology creates wealth for the well-being of the peoples of the region and the world at large.

The sponsorship of APaCPA by the Kedah State Government is a clear sign of the important role AIMST University has started to play in the north. The recent completion of its sprawling 230-acre campus in Semeling, Kedah, as well as the range of quality technical education programmes it provides makes it one of the most prominent private universities in Kedah State as well as the country. Established as the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology in June 2001, the university in April 2007 received approval from the Ministry of Higher Education to be known as AIMST University.

AIMST University is research-based and in December 2002, in line with the strong national thrust towards moving forward in S&T development by the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the Faculty of Applied Sciences was born. The Faculty of Applied Sciences at AIMST offers two undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees, one in Biotechnology and the other in Materials Technology with Management.

“The Faculty was established with the sole intent of providing degrees with a difference, while being relevant to the country. AIMST answered the call by the government to provide human capital to support our country’s industry and to train job-ready graduates,” said Prof. Helen. “This was even before our current PM, (Dato’ Seri Ahmad Badawi), began pushing biotechnology as a recognized platform for rapid development in the country.”


An Asia-Pacific-wide Showcase by AIMST University: APaCPA 2007


In mid-June 2007, Malaysia will play host to scientists across the Asia Pacific as the Asia Pacific Conference on Plant Tissue Culture and Agribiotechnology (APaCPA) is being held at the Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur. The event will be a setting which will facilitate the converging of the international and local scientific community, as well as the various stakeholders, in order to showcase and review the state of biotechnology in the Asia Pacific region and to provide a platform for greater exchange between them. APaCPA 2007 in Kuala Lumpur is only the fourth conference of a series established by the Asia-Pacific Association of Plant Tissue Culture and Agri-Biotechnology (APAPTC&A), the first having been held in Daejeon, Korea in 1993 followed by Beijing (1996) and Singapore (2000) respectively.

The Chairperson of the conference, Prof. Helen Nair of AIMST University, is understandably excited over the event, which will extend for about a week, from 17 to 21 June. She is currently the Head of the Department of Biotechnology, as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. Speaking to her, it was hard not to be affected by her enthusiasm.
“The conference is a good opportunity for anyone and everyone in the field of biotechnology, as we have been given the consent by the association (APAPTC&A), to put the scope beyond plant tissue culture, and allow it to be all encompassing, catering for a wider spectrum of interest,” she remarked. “What we hope to achieve is to conduct a conference which is science-based, but also with the various links towards stakeholder groups. We did not wish to make it an industry-based conference as we already have BioMalaysia, and BiotechAsia for that purpose. Instead, the conference deals with hard science dealt in a simple way that links back to the industry, and should allow people, basically anyone who wants to know about biotechnology, to understand it better.”

		Prof. Helen Nair

The conference is slated to be a platform that allows the focus for discourse to extend to many areas in biotechnology. Some highlights of the conference include country status reports on what is happening in China, India, Korea and Malaysia, an orchid symposium, trade exhibition, biosafety sessions, as well as a business forum which will feature prominent industry guests from abroad, as well as representative panelists from various local stakeholder groups, including Dr. Wan Abdul Rahaman Wan Yaacob, Senior Vice President, Malaysian BiotechCorp, Dr. Harikrishna, President of MBIO and Professor Asma Ismail, Director of INFORMM. The forum will address issues in biotechnology associated with business and in line with the chosen theme, “Biotechnology for Better Food, Health and Quality Living”. It is anticipated that the Business Forum at the end of the conference will help delegates to assess the challenges and opportunities for Biotech in the Asia Pacific region so as to ensure that responsible use of the technology creates wealth for the well-being of the peoples of the region and the world at large. Speakers from across the globe and across various disciplines have agreed to address the conference further endorsing the eminence and importance of the event. Distinguished speakers invited include, Prof. Donald Cowan (South Africa) who will speak on Metagenomics, Em. Prof. Joseph Arditti (USA) on Orchid Biotechnology; Malaysia’s Prof. Datin Dr. Khatijah Mohd Yusoff on the impact of Newcastle disease vaccine research on human cancers, Prof. Bruce Chassy (USA) on understanding the safety of transgenic crops; Prof. Yusuf Chisti (NZ) on biochemical engineering and Em. Prof. (Baron) Marc Van Montague (Belgium) on systems biology and plant-based sustainable economies while Prof. Malcolm Young will discourse on systems biology for drug discovery and agribiosciences. The wide range of issues should allow delegates and attendees to review the challenges and opportunities in the field of biotechnology in the Asia Pacific region and to also help policy- makers map an agenda for further development. In fact, the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM, a conference collaborator) has requested that an advisory report that will serve as a guide for the development of biotechnology in the country be prepared as an output of the conference, for ASM to present to the Government. (Click here for list of plenary speakers) “There will be something for everyone,” said Prof. Helen. “By hosting the conference in Malaysia, we hope to also achieve something for the industry. And I sincerely hope that everyone would be able to benefit from the conference.” What greater display of the importance of APaCPA 2007 than the great support it has garnered from collaborators and sponsors within the country. In fact, the list reads like the who’s who of the local scientific community, and shows the great collaboration and cohesion the conference has obtained from the local community. APaCPA 2007 is organized and sponsored not only by AIMST University but also by the State Government of Kedah Darul Aman and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry. Its collaborators are many including ASM, FELDA, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Malaysian Biotechnology Information Center (MABIC), Malaysian Bio-Industry Organisation (MBIO), Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), National Biotech Division (BIOTEK, MOSTI), University of Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia.

About AIMST
The sponsorship of APaCPA by the Kedah State Government is a clear sign of the important role AIMST University has started to play in the north. The recent completion of its sprawling 230-acre campus in Semeling, Kedah, as well as the range of quality technical education programmes it provides makes it one of the most prominent private universities in Kedah State as well as the country. Established as the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology in June 2001, the university in April 2007 received approval from the Ministry of Higher Education to be known as AIMST University.
	AIMST University is research-based and in December 2002, in line with the strong national thrust towards moving forward in S&T development by the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the Faculty of Applied Sciences was born. The Faculty of Applied Sciences at AIMST offers two undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees, one in Biotechnology and the other in Materials Technology with Management.

“The Faculty was established with the sole intent of providing degrees with a difference, while being relevant to the country. AIMST answered the call by the government to provide human capital to support our country’s industry and to train job-ready graduates,” said Prof. Helen. “This was even before our current PM, (Dato’ Seri Ahmad Badawi), began pushing biotechnology as a recognized platform for rapid development in the country.” The Materials Technology degree with Management, the only programme of its kind in the country, is extremely well regarded by industry sources. The programme deals with the fundamental discoveries in current advanced materials technology and applications to develop new products and processes, while providing insight into the legal, social, economic and ethical aspects of materials technology. Such programmes are highly sought after in developed countries and is expected to gain even more prominence as the demand for such expertise increases in the region. According to Prof. Helen, out of the 7 pioneer graduates graduating from this programme in September this year, 6 students have already secured employment, illustrating well the demand for such “job-ready” graduates. Similarly, AIMST’s three-year B.Sc. (Hons) in biotechnology, which received full accreditation from LAN (MOHE) in June 2006, aims at providing hands-on experience with great emphasis on research-based activities, including the use of high-end instrumentation by Final Year students in their research projects. The curriculum has been put together in such a way that graduates will have sufficient knowledge to move into any field in biotechnology or the life sciences once they graduate. In addition, the university also offers a Masters in Biotechnology, solely by Research. The PhD programme should be on offer once approval is obtained from LAN. “Both programmes have been set up with the noble ambition of aiding the growth of the country. Similarly, both degrees will also see a comfortable synergy in the near future as biotech and materials science come together to provide a platform for development in ultra new areas, such as nanobiotechnology. We will see them coming together naturally, and this should fuel even more exciting research and growth areas for industries in our country.” With such noble aspirations and committed academicians, it may be anticipated that AIMST University will continue to help the northern states, especially the State of Kedah, to grow into a research powerhouse in the region. With its involvement in APaCPA 2007, AIMST University has shown its readiness to provide leadership for the further development of the field of biotechnology with the cooperation and help of other stakeholders both in the North and from around the country, so that Malaysia may be recognized as an important biotech player in the Asia Pacific region.

For more information on AIMST, please click here
		By K. C. Liew for MABIC