Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1998

Hang Kong's First Bioinformatics Centre Using high-performance computersand special software, bioinformatics studies the sequencing of human genesand those of simpler life forms, and through their comparison gains knowledge about new genes and their functions in the biochemical system.Bioinformatics also involves the compilation, handling, analysis, and interpretation of massive DNA sequencing data which are essentia l to the discovery of new drugs, vaccines, and cures. T he f l o u r i sh of b i o t e c h n o l o gy depends largely on the support of bioinformatics. The University established the first bioinformatics centre in H o ng Ko ng on 27th February 1998. Located on campus, the Ho ng Ko ng Bioinformatics Centre w i ll provide the technology and technical expertise necessary for making software on molecular biology and bioinformatics. Using D N A information to study the relationship between genes and diseases for use in diagnostics and therapy, the centre w i ll be a resourceful library of databases linking industry and academia. The centre was established w i t h grants f r om the University and the Ho ng Kong Industry Department totalling over HK$6.6 million, and is equipped w i t h t wo h i gh performance supercomputers, five workstations, and linkages w i t h the Internet. It is staffed w i t h a bioinformatics specialist and a systems manager. Besides handling data on biotechnology, the centre w i l l also assist in the development of related databases such as those of genetic diseases in the Chinese population. The establishment of the centre w i l l also contribute to a research project involving the large-scale sequencing of cardiovascular genes conducted, since 1993, by the University's Department of Biochemistry jointly w i t h the Cardiac Gene Unit of the University of Toronto in Canada, and the China National Centre for Biotechnology Development of the State Science and Technology Commission of China. The methodology of this research can be applied to other disease models such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and rheumatic heart disease. The new centre is expected to help strengthen the cooperative ties between the University and research institutes both on mainland China and abroad.• Upper: Officiating at theopeningceremonywere: (from left) Prof. C.Y.Lee,professorof biochemistry ; Mr. Lo Yuk Lam fromtheIndustry Departmentof the HKSAR; Mr. Francis Ho, director-general of industry of theIndustry Department; Prof.Hui Yongzheng, vice-minister of the StateScienceand Technology Commission; Prof.Arthur K.C. Li, vice-chancellorof CUHK; Mr. Donald Chia,deputy chairmanof the Federation of Hong KongIndustries; Prof.Jeffrey Wong of HKUST. Middle: A corner of the centre Lower: Putting DNA samplesin an automatic DNA sequencer All for the Sake of Excellence in Research 27