Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2006

News in Brief 53 The visitors attended seminars and met with local academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chinese Academy of Sciences, scientists and postgraduate students of CUHK and other institutions to exchange views on strategic areas including food security and the latest developments in agricultural biotechnology, ocean science and chemical science. Institute of Plant Molecular Biology and Agricultural Biotechnology (IPMBAB) T he newly established Institute of Plant Molecular Biology and Agricultural Biotechnology (IPMBAB) builds on the out- standing research of the University Grants Committee’s Area of Excellence in the field of plant and agricultural biotechnology. IPMBAB’s mission is to combine innovations from basic science research and state-of-the-art biotechnology with the traditional wisdom of breeders or farmers and China’s rich elite germplasm resources, to address the issue of food security, with emphasis on the improvement of major staple and economic crops such as rice and soybean. IPMBAB will generate products of high impact and will train quality researchers for Hong Kong, China and beyond. A n eight-member delegation of the Chinese academy of Engineering, including six academicians and two representatives from the Division of Agriculture and Division of Environment, Light and Textile Industries Engineering visited The Chinese University from 13 to 15 September 2006. This is the first time that a high-level delegation of the academy visited local universities. The Chinese Academy of Engineering delegation with Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor (middle), Prof. Samuel Sun, professor of biology (left 2) and Prof. Lam Hon Ming of the Department of Biology (left 1) (From left) Prof. Wong Yum-shing, Prof. Jiang Liwen, Prof. Guo Dianjian, Prof. Samuel S.M. Sun (director), Prof. Lam Hon-ming (deputy director), Prof. Ngai Sai-ming, and Prof. Fung Ming-chiu Chinese Academy of Engineering Delegates Visit CUHK