Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Name	Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Formation	1955
Type	Learned society
Headquarters	Beijing
Language	Mandarin Chinese
Leader title	President

Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is a professional learned society dedicated to advancing biochemistry and molecular biology in the People's Republic of China. It serves as a hub connecting researchers from institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University and Zhejiang University with counterparts at organizations including the National Institutes of Health, Max Planck Society, Wellcome Trust, European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The society engages with international bodies such as the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, EMBO, and regional partners in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia.

History

Founded in the mid-20th century, the society emerged amid scientific developments at institutions like the Chinese Academy of Sciences and universities such as Fudan University and Nanjing University. Early leaders included alumni of Peking Union Medical College and researchers trained at University of Cambridge, Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Columbia University. The society's growth paralleled national scientific milestones connected to initiatives such as the 863 Program and the 973 Program, and to landmark laboratories including the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences and the Institute of Biophysics. It organized symposia featuring figures from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the Pasteur Institute, and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows a council-executive model common to societies like the Royal Society and the National Academy of Sciences. The executive committee includes presidents and secretaries drawn from Peking University Health Science Center, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Advisory boards have included members affiliated with the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and prominent laboratories such as Broad Institute and Riken. Governance documents reflect interactions with national funding agencies including the Natural Science Foundation of China and ministries linked to science and technology policy.

Membership and Chapters

Membership comprises faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and industry scientists from institutions like Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Wuhan University, Xiamen University, Nankai University, and corporate laboratories of Baidu-affiliated biotech startups, Sinovac, and Wuxi AppTec. Regional chapters operate in provinces and municipalities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Sichuan, Hubei, and Jiangsu and coordinate events with local academies like the Chinese Academy of Engineering and municipal science commissions. Collaborative memberships mirror those of societies such as the American Chemical Society and the Biochemical Society.

Conferences and Publications

The society organizes biennial and annual congresses modeled on meetings like the Gordon Research Conferences and the Cold Spring Harbor Symposia, hosting sessions on topics represented at venues such as EMBO Workshops and FASEB Conferences. It publishes journals and bulletins that are distributed to libraries at Peking University Library, Tsinghua University Library, Harvard Medical School, and repositories used by PubMed and Scopus. Editorial boards have included scholars with appointments at Stanford University School of Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, San Francisco, Yonsei University, and Seoul National University.

Education, Training, and Awards

Educational programs include workshops, summer schools, and courses co-sponsored by institutions such as Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Asia, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and university training centers at Fudan University and Tsinghua University. The society administers awards analogous to the Lasker Award, Shaw Prize, and national honors coordinated with bodies like the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), recognizing researchers from labs such as the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and hospitals affiliated with Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Ruijin Hospital.

Research Initiatives and Collaborations

Research initiatives span structural biology, genomics, proteomics, and translational medicine with collaborative projects involving Biosafety Level 3 and Biosafety Level 4 laboratories, major sequencing centers like the Beijing Genomics Institute, and consortia comparable to the Human Genome Project and the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health. Collaborations include partnerships with the European Molecular Biology Organization, National Center for Biotechnology Information, International HapMap Project, and biotech firms such as BGI Group, Shengpu Pharmaceutical, and WuXi Biologics.

Influence and Impact on Chinese and Global Science

The society has influenced policy dialogues involving institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, World Health Organization, and funding agencies like the National Natural Science Foundation of China, contributing to capacity building at centers including ShanghaiTech University and Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Its members have participated in international advisory roles at WHO Expert Advisory Panels, editorial positions at journals like Nature, Science, Cell, and have been recognized by awards such as the Copley Medal and international fellowships from the Royal Society and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Through conferences and joint programs with organizations such as the Wellcome Trust and European Commission, the society has shaped translational pipelines linking university laboratories to industrial partners in the United States, Europe, and across Asia.

Category:Scientific societies based in China Category:Molecular biology organizations