Biotech's Chinese connection

Journal Article · Fri Mar 27 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.255.5052.1635· OSTI ID:5176504

Hodgson, G

Hong Kong last month opened the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology (HKIB), a nonprofit R and D center. By combining Chinese expertise in medicinal compounds and cell culturing with Western technical and marketing skills, the institute hopes to develop products that could be licensed to Hong Kong or Western films. The institute is also developing experimental cell lines and making genetically engineered versions of promising compounds, taking advantage of the cell-culturing and cloning skills that are highly developed on the mainland. The Shanghai contingent is already involved in one of the institute's projects, an effort to transfer human genes into mouse fibroblasts to create cell lines for research on the molecular mechanisms of learning and memory. Other Chinese researchers are taking part in HKIB's joint venture with Syntex, which was signed last April. The mainland researchers extract candidate medicinal compounds from plants and microorganisms. In Hong Kong, the compounds are tested for their effects on neurotransmitter receptors, while Syntex scientists in Palo Alto study how the same compounds affect enzyme activity and whole cells.

• OSTI ID: 5176504
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 255:5052; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
BIOTECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CHINA
CELL CULTURES
CLONING
GENETIC ENGINEERING
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
USA
ASIA
COOPERATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
NORTH AMERICA
550200* - Biochemistry
290500 - Energy Planning & Policy- Research
Development
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