An opening ceremony for the Genomics Research Center building is to be held on November 11, 2004. President Chen Shui-bian is invited to join the celebration along with local biotechnology scholars and industry leaders.
The Genomics Research Center (GRC) of Academia Sinica was founded in January 2003 as a result of a series of promotions for biotechnology led by Dr. Lee Yuan-Tseh, President of Academia Sinica. GRC has a focused mission to integrate physical science and life science, with major emphasis on the discovery and functional study of genes and diseases, development of innovative technologies and therapeutic strategies. Dr. Chi-Huey Wong is currently Director of the Center.
The GRC is expected to become a center of excellence for genomic research and education. Through the process of using breakthrough discoveries and inventions in the commercial realm, the Center has established a biotechnology incubator to advance the development of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in Taiwan.
The GRC’s research programs consist of four major areas: Functional Genomics, Chemical Biology, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and Bioinformatics. There are also two supporting units: Key Technology Development and the Biotechnology Incubation Center.
The GRC building was constructed to provide ample space for research, instrumentation, conference and administration. It occupies about 8,500 square meters of ground space and consists of an eight-story steel-reinforced concrete structure, amounting to a total floor area of about 21,966 square meters. It will accommodate more than two hundred research scientists and staffs.
The first one of its kind in the campus, the GRC building was designed to conform to the “Green Building Principles” set by the city government, with an emphasis on energy saving, waste elimination and environmental protection. The two-floor basement is also designed as a spare reservoir in the contingency plan for campus flooding situation. It is estimated that the basement will provide a container space of 18,000 cubic meters, and when the average rain fall rate is at 95 millimeter per hour, it will relieve the flooding situation in the campus area for 4 continuous hours.
The ceremony will start from 9:30 AM and end around 10:30 AM. The whole event will reach its highest point when the guests of honor disclose the sign of the building. This event will be broadcast live on the internet. Interested individuals with “Windows Media Player” installed can start the viewing around 9:15am by linking to URL:”mms://grcopen.sinica.edu.tw/live”.
