The global biotechnology industry's annual flagship event, BIO Asia-Taiwan 2024, will kick off its five-day run on July 24th at the TaiNEX 1 and 2 Halls of the Nangang Exhibition Center. The conference will commence with the "Tang Prize Lecture," a highlight of the Innovation and Technology Forum. Feng Zhang, the 2016 Tang Prize Laureate in Biopharmaceutical Science, will deliver the keynote speech "Exploration of Biological Diversity." He will share his groundbreaking research on CRISPR systems, which holds immense potential for new disease therapies. In addition, the Tang Prize Foundation will make its debut as an exhibitor at BIO Asia-Taiwan 2024, starting on July 25th.
Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation, reiterated the Foundation's dedication to fostering global academic collaboration. Since its establishment in 2012, the Tang Prize Lecture series has been featured at esteemed international gatherings such as the International Organization for Experimental Biology (EB), the World Congress of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology (WCP), the Asia Pacific Federation of Pharmacologists (APFP), and the International Congress of Cell Biology and Asian-Pacific Organization for Cell Biology (ICCB & APOCB), among other prominent conferences, to encourage international scholarly exchange. This year, the Foundation is honored to have Dr. Feng Zhang, the 2016 Tang Prize Laureate in Biopharmaceutical Science, represent the Foundation and share his pioneering research at BIO Asia-Taiwan 2024.
To further showcase the laureates' significant achievements and enhance public understanding of their work, the Foundation will debut an exhibition on the 4th floor of Hall 1 (booth N605) at the Nangang Exhibition Center, opposite the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) booth. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the exhibition and leave a "like" on our Facebook page to receive exclusive Tang Prize mementos.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Feng Zhang highlighted that many powerful molecular biology tools originate in nature, often derived from microbes such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These microbes utilize diverse mechanisms to gain evolutionary advantages. Dr. Zhang's team is interested in exploring this natural diversity through bioinformatics, biochemical, and molecular research to better understand how organisms sense and respond to their environment. By harnessing these systems, they aim to develop innovative tools for improving human health.
Dr. Zhang further explained that genetic medicine development primarily focuses on vehicle and payload optimization. The existing therapeutic technologies have limitations that can mainly target the eye, liver, and cells in the blood. However, he highlighted promising advancements in two key areas: a refined system utilizing human capsid-forming proteins for RNA delivery and prokaryotic injection systems capable of reaching animal brain cells. These breakthroughs offer significant potential for future therapeutic applications. Leveraging the expanding knowledge base of microbial genomic sequences, scientists are increasingly adept at bioengineering. Dr. Zhang expressed optimism that the combination of advanced tools and novel delivery modes will accelerate basic research into human diseases, ultimately unlocking new therapeutic possibilities.
In 2016, Chinese-American scientist Feng Zhang, along with French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier and American biochemist Jennifer A. Doudna, jointly received the Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science for their groundbreaking contributions to the development of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. This revolutionary technology has the potential to dramatically alter biomedical research and disease treatment strategies, offering hope for cures to a wide range of human diseases. Dr. Zhang's specific contribution to CRISPR-Cas9 technology was pioneering its application in mammalian and human cells.
About the Tang Prize
Since the advent of globalization, mankind has been able to enjoy the convenience brought forth by the advancement of human civilization and science. Yet a multitude of challenges, such as climate change, the emergence of new infectious diseases, wealth gap, and moral degradation, have surfaced along the way. Against this backdrop, Dr. Samuel Yin established the Tang Prize in December 2012. It consists of four award categories, namely Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Every other year, four independent and professional selection committees, comprising many internationally renowned experts, scholars, and Nobel winners, choose as Tang Prize laureates people who have influenced and made substantive contributions to the world, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or gender. A cash prize of NT$50 million (approx. US$1.7 million) is allocated to each category, with NT$10 million (approx. US$ 0.35 million) of it being a research grant intended to encourage professionals in every field to examine mankind’s most urgent needs in the 21st century, and become leading forces in the development of human society through their outstanding research outcomes and active civic engagement.
