Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the Korean Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with an aim to encourage technical cooperation in the areas of proteomics, genomics, cell engineering and nanobiotech.
The LoI was signed in Taipei at the inauguration of the APEC Biotechnology Conference – 2007, organized by ITRI in coordination with Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs' (MOEA) Department of Industrial Technology and Taiwan Bio Industry Organization. The conference was themed: “What's the Best Business Model for APEC Bio-incubation Development?
Speaking at the event, Dr Johnsee Lee, President, ITRI said, "The biotechnology industry is a knowledge intensive emerging industry that is characterized by a value chain -- a complex structure and a lengthy period in developing new products. Considering this, the government of Taiwan has injected considerable resources into upstream and mid-stream biotech R&D in recent years. Coupled with Taiwan's prowess in high-tech R&D, Taiwan has the opportunity to establish a unique knowledge-based, economically feasible biotech industry."
Sharing his views at the conference Dr Ho-Shong Hou, Deputy Director General, MOEA said, "The government has pegged biotechnology as a focus industry for future development. At present, Taiwan's main biotech parks are large-sized ones led by the central government or regional ones, which have specific objectives that are led by local governments. Integrating the two types of biotech parks here will enable Taiwan to play a pivotal role in the development of the bio-pharmaceutical industry in the Asia Pacific region.
Scholars and experts in the biotechnology industry from many countries, including Canada, Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea shared the successful experiences and operational strategies of biotech incubators in their respective nations. The list had Dr Peter Riddles, Founder and CEO of Australia's ViciBio Pty Ltd, Mr Normand de Montigny, Executive Director of the Quebec Biotechnology Innovation Center, and Dr Morakot Tanticharoen, Director of Thailand's National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) among others.
Dr Sang Ki Rhee, President and CEO of the Korean Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) shared his experience on how Korea has succeeded in using its biotechnology incubators to promote 16 bio-clusters. It is hoped that multi-disciplinary cooperation and existing biotech parks will help promote the development of bio-clusters throughout Taiwan, enabling the island to become an Asia Pacific biotechnology R&D, production and operational hub. Participants also discussed bio-pharmaceutical cluster development policies and strategies in the Asia Pacific region.