ICGEB-Africa Formally Opened
September 14, 2007| |
The Cape Town Component of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) was officially opened by President Thabo Mbeki. The centre, situated in Cape Town's GrootesSchuur Hospital, will boost biotechnology research and development in Africa. An ICGEB press release states that research and training activities will be on subjects which are of major impact for the African continent, focusing primarily on infectious diseases (HIV-AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis), chronic (cardiovascular and cancer-related) and genetic diseases. Plant biotechnology research will be aimed at improving the staple crops essential for the African population. This ICGEB center will operate within the same framework as the Trieste and New Delhi Components, where research programs at the forefront of scientific excellence constitutes the basis of the training programmes in the organization
The Government of South Africa supported the establishment of this new component which offers provisional laboratory space and around 4,000 square meters of multipurpose areas for 100 scientists. It is hoped that this facility will be the source of important scientific breakthroughs in the fields of health, nutrition, agricultural improvement and environmental protection in Africa.
The press release can be viewed at: http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2007/07091016451001.htm.
| |
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Discovery Promises More Nutritional Cassava
- Agriculture in the Face of Climate Change
- Setting a Biotechnology Stage in Africa
- ICGEB-Africa Formally Opened
- Regional Consultation on Biotechnology and Biosafety
- UD Leads Research Project on Rice Epigenetics
- Sorghum Fit for Fuel and Feed
- New HTF Ethanol Hybrids from Pioneer
- Monsanto Acquires Brazilian Seed Company
- Biotechnologists Inducted into ARS Hall of Fame
- Texas A&M Receives Sun Grant Funding for Bioenergy Research
- Maximizing the Biofuel Potential of Sweet Sorghum and Sugar Cane
- Bayer Opens First Agricultural Technology Center in Argentina
- RP to Boost Production of Agri-Products through Biotech
- Invitation to Comment on a Risk Assessment Plan for GM Cotton
- Scottish Seed Potatoes' Journey to China
- New Zealand's ERMA Approves GM Onion Trial
- Intragenic Modification for Crops
- German Gene-tech Law - Coalition Compromise
-
Research Highlights
- GM Potatoes with Improved Freezing Tolerance
- Genome Analysis of a Plant Growth-Promoting Bacillus
- Production of Herbicide-Resistant Transgenic Sweet Potato
-
From the BICs
- Field Visit to the Elite Egyptian Bt Cotton Varieties Organized
-
Announcements
- EU-Malaysia Biotechnology Business Partnership (EUM-BIO 2007)
- 13th European Congress on Biotechnology
- Third International Conference on Coexistence GMCC07
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (April 17, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (April 10, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet