Biotechnology Information Network in Asia and the Pacific (BINASIA) Sang-Ki Rhee, Ph.D. Project Coordinator Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology BINASIA-Sri Lanka National Workshop 6-7 April 2005 Colombo, Sri Lanka

Current Status of Biotechnology in the Asia-Pacific Region Development of its biotechnology capacity: from the mid 1980s Bioresource-rich but technology-poor in general Heavy involvement of the public sector: marginal participation of the private sector Limited funding and manpower Agrobiotechnology-oriented

Rationale Biotechnology: - not capital- and scale-intensive - at the initial stage of development - many opportunities for the South The South in the Asia-Pacific region: - sharing many similar problems - solutions: by sharing their experiences and forging viable partnerships The North vs. the South: - growing technology gap - the North’s shares: over 85% of the world’s income and over 90% of the world’s S&T knowledge

How to Forge Viable Partnerships in Biotechnology in the Region The international biotechnology diffusion: - creating new opportunities - assisted by the low barriers to entry How to build-up viable regional partnerships? Identification of Areas for Partnerships Capacity BuildingRegion-wide Partnership e-Networking

Biotechnology: - knowledge-based technology - no geographic borders e-Network - linking biocommunity via the internet - most effective way for regional interaction International e-networks on biotechnology - AKBIN - BINASIA e-Networking

ASEAN-Korea Biotechnology Information Network (AKBIN) ASEAN-Korea Workshop on the Formulation of a Biotechnology Atlas (1999): - ASEAN/COST - MOFAT of Korea Coordinators: - Biotechnology Sub-Committee of ASEAN/COST - KRIBB Aims: - information exchange - promotion of regional cooperation

AKBIN (cont.) Participating Bodies ASEAN KOREA BRUNEI INDONESIA LAO P.D.R MALAYSIA MYANMAR PHILIPPINES SINGAPORE THAILAND VIETNAM AKBIN UNESCAP

Key Indicators A K B I N AKBIN (cont.) National S & T Policies International Collaboration National Policies on Biotech HRD Bioindustry Bilateral Collaboration with members Biotechnology Infrastructure Biosafety Protocol Biological Resources Budget R&D Activities

Aims: Establishment of Biotechnology Information Network in the Asia-Pacific Region Thematic Focus: Regional Networking for Biotechnology Information Sharing, Technology Development and Transfer Time Frame: 3 Years ( ) Target Group: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam etc. BINASIA-Project Profile Coordinators: KRIBB and APCTT

Oct. 2002: Approved at the 18th Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the 7th Session of the Governing Board (GB) meetings of APCTT (Presentation on the draft BINASIA proposal) Dec. 2002: Finalized the project proposal based on the recommendations of the TAC and GB meetings 2001: BINASIA Project proposed by MOST of Korea at the 57 th General Meeting of UNESCAP Sept. 2002: KRIBB and APCTT exchanged MOU to jointly coordinate BINASIA Project June 2003: Launch of the project Chronicle Mar. 2004: 1 st Steering Committee held Apr. 2004: 1 st Expert Group Meeting held

Building-up Regional Capacity and Sharing its Benefits Linking of the regional biocommunity by setting up the network on the web Providing biotechnology professionals from the region with an easy access to the network Promotion of R&D collaboration, exchange of researchers and information sharing Helping the growth of bioindustry by technology development and transfer BINASIA Goals

BINASIA - User-driven, IT-driven network - Bioinformation DB - Regional partnerships among academia, public research institution and bioindustry - International networking for technology transfer Function Principles Character - Updating and upgrading of data from participating countries - Best-practice use of technologies, standards and procedures - Equitable sharing of information and its benefits Featuring Elements

Institutions, universities, training centers Industry - biotechnology firms (SME, large enterprises) - financial players (venture capitals, banks etc.) - service firms (patent offices, consulting firms, law firms, CPA etc.) Government agencies and policy makers Technology transfer intermediaries/networks Existing information networks (AKBIN etc.) Participating member economies Research personnel Beneficiaries

Networking Field Survey Data Collection Workshop, Seminar Workshop, Seminar Project Coordinator Focal Points …… R&D Technology Transfer Steering Committee BINASIA D/B Operating Structure

Role of contributors: - MOST of Korea; funding - UNESCAP; infrastructure, experience, network etc. Project duration: 3 years in total (June May 2006) Inputs required: US$ 300,000 (US$ 100,000/year) Inputs

Information exchange: policy, R&D, research manpower, enterprises, markets, technologies, key issues etc. Successful establishment of appropriate business mechanisms Human resources development: a pool of trained young researchers and technicians Technology transfer: development of commercial partnerships between public and private sectors locally or internationally Outputs

Thank you !