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The Protein Crystallography Laboratory opening ceremony held in Taiwan
The opening ceremony of the ‘Protein Crystallography Laboratory’, established jointly by National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), was held on June 23, 2009. Hosted by Dr. Keng S. Liang, Director of NSRRC, and Dr. Michael M. C. Lai, President of NCKU, in the NCKU Biotechnology Center, with Dr. Andrew H.-J. Wang, Vice-president of Academia Sinica, Dr. Wen-Chang Chang, Deputy Minister of National Science Council, and Professor Tomitake Tsukihara from Osaka University as honorable guests, this event marked an important milestone of the biological research community of southern Taiwan.
This program, is keen on promoting biological applications in the southern regions in Taiwan using synchrotron radiation to unlock the mystery of protein structure. Combining such advanced synchrotron X-ray light source from NSRRC with the resources of life sciences from NCKU and nearby research institutes and universities, tasks of protein purification, characterization, crystal growth and protein structural analysis can be performed efficiently in considerable quantities. The establishment of this laboratory will greatly enhance the competitiveness in scientific research of the those institutions.
The future development and objectives of this ‘Protein Crystallography Laboratory’ include also the establishment of the systematic processes, protein structural databank, and the promotion of research collaboration among domestic and international life-science institutions. The outcomes of protein analysis can improve varieties and fight diseases in the agriculture and fishery industries, invention of new medicines and spur progress in biochip industry. (From NSRRC, Taiwan)