TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University

TEDA Institute of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology was established in 2003, as a college in Nankai University under the leadership of Prof. Lei Wang, who is a Recipient of Chinese National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. The objective of the Institute is to combine the science and technology of Nankai University and the commercial competiveness of Tianjin Economic and Technology Development Area (TEDA) by attracting talents from domestic and international to develop cutting-edge research in microbiology. Taking an integrative approach of scientific research, technology development and talent cultivation, the Institute aims to establish a leading status in life science and become an influential academic institute in the world.

Discipline development

The Institute is occupying a total area of 4800 square meters, out of which 3800 square meters are designated for laboratory use. The main fields of research consist of genomics, functional genomics, synthetic biology, microarray, bioinformatics, molecular virology and other associated subjects. The research platforms are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The Institute has established “Tianjin Key Laboratory of Microbial Functional Genomics” and “Tianjin Research Center for Functional Genomics and Biochip” supported by National Key Discipline for Microbiology of Nankai University. In 2006, the Ministry of Education has authorized the Institute to form “Ministry of Education Engineering and Research Center for Microbial Functional Genomics and Detection technology” and “Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology” At the present, the Institute focus its research on microbial molecular heredity and evolution, identification of molecular markers, development of microarray, genomics and functional genomics.

Funding and Achievements

Since its establishment, the Institute has successfully completed 11 projects of the 863 Program, two projects of the National Science and Technology Support Program, five projects of the Eleventh Five-Year National Major Research Program, one project of the Key Program for International S&T Cooperation Projects of China, one project of the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, 19 projects of the Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China, and 17 projects of the Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Research Projects.

Currently the staff of the Institute are undertaking four sub-topics of the National 973 Program, five projects of the 12th Five-Year National Major Research Program, 13 projects of the Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China, two projects of the Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China, 6 projects of the Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Research Projects, and other 5 items.

To date, the Institute has published 161 peer reviewed articles in the field of microbiology with a total impact factor of 538.614. There were seven PCT patents applied with three of them has been granted; 156 domestic invention patents have been applied, among them 99 have been granted.

The Institute has achieved significant progress in genomics and functional genomics as witnessed with the publications of three high-level scientific papers of two in Nature (Nature, IF 31.434) and one in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America” (PNAS, IF 9.598). The Institute has also published a review paper in FEMS Microbiology Reviews (IF 9.250), one paper in PLoS Pathogens (IF 9.079), one paper in Genome Biology (IF 9.036), one paper in Nucleic Acids Research (IF 8.026) , and six papers in PLoS ONE (IF 4.411).

External Collaboration

The Institute has closely collaborated with a number of international institutions, among them are University of Hawaii, Wairakei Research Centre Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences in New Zealand, Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Russia, Sydney University, West Sydney Area Health Service (WSAHS) in Australia, and Escherichia coli Reference Laboratory of Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Germany. External collaboration had also been formed with Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), National center for AIDS/STD control and Prevention of China, CDC, and National Institute for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control of China, CDC, Wuhan University, Jiangnan University, Guangxi University etc.

Teachers and Students

A faculty team, leaded by Prof. Lei Wang, includes 2 winners of National Outstanding Youth Fund, 10 professors and associate professors, and 11 lecturers, among them 13 have doctoral degrees and the rest have master degrees. The Institute has produced over 170 PhD and Master students with 51 candidates currently in the PhD and Master programs.