Bulletin Spring 1990

Computer Communication Laboratory and the Departmental Computing Laboratory are possible with data, voice, still image or video transmission. The Department of Electronic Engineering can also be connected to other member institutions of the University and Polytechnic Computer Centre and overseas computer networks through the CSC. The first fibre pair connecting the CSC and the Departmental Computing Laboratory is an Ethernet link through optical transceivers operating at a data rate of 10 Mb/s. The remaining two fibre pairs will be used in the future for the development of ISDN trial with simultaneous on-campus and off-campus voice, data and video transmission. Two additional optical fibre cables linking Shaw College and the CSC (1 km) and Lady Shaw Building and the CSC (400 m) are being installed. Project Evaluation Committee of HKIB 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 HKIB and the government, industry, 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 HK IB for consideration and evaluate commercialization strategies planned for various bio- technological projects. Hong Kong 一 Shanghai Biotechnology Development Centre Established The Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology (HK I B ) recently signed an agreement with the Shanghai Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SBCAS) to establish a Hong Kong — Shanghai Biotechnology Development Centre. The centre will capitalize on the biotechnological research strengths of SBCAS as well as the strategic position of HKIB in the region to commercialize novel biotechnology products targeted for the world market. HKIB 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. Successful Pregnancy from Frozen Embryos The In Vitro Fertilization (IVF ) team of the Faculty of Medicine successfully established an ongoing pregnancy produced by implanting human embryos which had been deep-frozen for four weeks after in vitro fertilization. In September 1989, 10 embryos were obtained during IVF but no pregnancy occurred after four such embryos were implanted in the uterus of a woman who has failed to conceive for 10 years because of tubal blockage. The six unused embryos were frozen in liquid nitrogen and after subsequent thawing, four embryos were implanted in October resulting in an ongoing twin pregnancy. The twins are expected to be delivered in June 1990, and this will be the first time Hong Kong has produced test-tube babies from frozen IVF embryos. NEWS 9