Spotlight falls on biotech

This year's International Biotechnology Applications Exhibition, co-sponsored by local academic institutes and biotechnology manufacturers' associations, will be held at the Taipei World Trade Center from May 2 to May 5.

Over the past three years, the annual event has attracted increasing numbers of visitors, including representatives of international biotechnology firms as well as experts from the academic community.

Since the government has targeted biotechnology as one of the nation's strategic industries, investment in this sector by public institutions and private establishments has increased tremendously over the past decade.

Government indicate that over the past three years, private investment in the biotechnology sector has amounted to NT$12.1 billion.

Meanwhile, government agencies, including the National Science Council, the Council of Agriculture, Academia Sinica, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Health Department, have set aside a total of NT$36.3 billion for biotechnology research and development projects.

Pharmaceutical have remained the mainstream in terms of biotechnology start-ups, and the number of such firms has increased from three in 1997 to the existing 150, according to government statistics.

The Cabinet's Development Fund has in recent years contributed greatly to the biotechnology sector's research projects. A total of NT$4.9 billion has been set aside by the fund for investment in research and development projects of 19 biotechnology firms.

Meanwhile, Academia Sinica has been playing a pivotal role in biotechnology research and development. The institution is engaged in the research of reproductive and reception biochemistry, protein and bioorganic chemistry, glycobiology, gene regulation, structural biology, and molecular biophysics.

In addition, the government has set aside a NT$10 billion special budget for the academic institution's genetic engineering research projects.