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Marine
Biology and Aquarium (NMMBA) Research Fellows
Twenty
Assistant/Associate Research Fellows are currently employed at the NMMBA,
specializing in various fields of marine biology.
Another ten Assistant research fellows with Ph.D. degrees will be joining
our museum as soon as they obtain the qualification certificates from the
Minister of Education. Thirty
research staff positions in studies of marine life will be filled by the end of
2001. The number of research staff
will be increased to fifty in the near future. Research Centers and Facilities
Two
research centers comprise the NMMBA. One
is the Marine Aquaculture Center”, which is well-equipped with advanced marine
culture tanks and water quality control systems.
The other is the Marine Biology Research Center, which is likewise well
equipped with many advanced facilities for studies of marine life.
The Marine Biology Research Center contains 20 research laboratories.
Five of the labs are designed for specialized purposes: an Electron
Microscopy Room, Sterilized Room, Molecular Biology Room, DNA sequencing Room,
and an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AA) and High Performance Liquid
Chromatograph (HPLC) Room. The
other laboratories are equipped with various relevant research instruments. Research equipment in the NMMBA consists of a
state-of-the-art DNA Automatic Sequencer (ABI 377), Primer Synthesizer,
Quantitative Real Time PCR Thermal Cyclers, PCR Thermal Cyclers (PE 2400 &
PE 9700), DNA/RNA/Protein Electrophoresis Cells, Electroporator, Semi-dry
Blotting Apparatus, Ultra Freezing Centrifuges, Freezing Vacuum Dryer, Speed
Vacuum Centrifuge, Protein Purification System (AKTA Prime), HPLC, AA,
Fluorescent Light Microscope (Olympus BX60 with Normarski DIC), Olympus Inverted
Tissue Culture Microscope (IX70 with Normarski DIC), Scanning Electron
Microscope with EDX, Light and Dissecting Microscopes, Marine Aquaculture
Systems, Coral Aquaculture Advanced Systems, a Dust Free Room and Cell Culture
Systems. Research Interests
Research
fellows in the NMMBA are working in various fields of marine life, including
Applied Marine Ecology, Marine Environmental Protection, Systematics and
Phylogeny of Fish, Crustaceans and Benthic Macroalgae, Marine Microbiology,
Ecology and Taxonomy of Marine Plankton, Ecological Behavior and Evolution of
Crustaceans and Mollusks, Ichthyoplankton, Ecology and Aquaculture of
Coelenterates, Fish Pathology, Marine Aquaculture and Conservation, Marine
Natural Products, Marine Biotechnology, Fish Physiology, etc. New Research Center
A
new research building is currently under construction for hosting our increasing
number of Research Fellows and for housing more research facilities. The new research building will contain 18 research
laboratories (Molecular Biology Lab, Biochemistry Engineering Lab, Marine
Microbiology Lab, Marine Natural Products Lab, Cell and Tissue Culture Lab,
Enzyme Lab, Biochemistry
Analysis Lab, Immunology and Cell Culture Lab, Bioinformatics Lab, Protein
Engineering Lab, Pharmacology Lab, Environmental Protection and Biotechnology
Lab, X-ray Lab, Practice and Preparation Lab, Autoclave Lab, Specimen treatment
Lab and Water Purification Lab, etc.), 4 core laboratories and one conference
room. Future Expectations
-
To achieve the objectives, efficiency and main goals put forward in the original
plans while at the same time not increasing the present research budgets and
number of researchers. -
To provide research facilities/space for the colleges/universities/research
institutes in Taiwan, and organizations facing a lack of teaching and research
equipment, research funding, teaching space and practical laboratories/centers.
Use of research equipment/space in the NMMBA by other institutions will
thus not only increase, but it also represents a strong investment in academic
research. -
To establish collaborations with other research universities/institutes in
Taiwan and overseas, and to increase the research level of marine biotechnology
through the exchange of research experience with internationally renowned
universities/ institutes. The goal
is to establish the NMMBA as an internationally well-known marine biology
institute with vigorous research activities. -
To establish several core research groups made up by research fellows at the
NMMBA according to their expertise and interests.
With the set-up of the core research projects, key advanced technologies
will be established and communicated to biotechnology industries in Taiwan. -
To
train graduate students/interns in advanced academic research institutes in
Taiwan in the field of marine biotechnology. |
