CSIR Biosciences Competency Area Science Innovation Leader Dheepak Maharajh takes the Chinese delegation on a tour of the Biosciences Bioprocessing Facility
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Delegates from the Department of Science and Technology of Shandong Province, China during their recent tour to the CSIR.
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The CSIR in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) hosted a delegation from the Department of Science and Technology of Shandong province, China on 12 July 2012. The purpose of the visit was to get a better understanding of the different CSIR research areas as well as to try and ascertain whether there could be any areas where they could develop or form collaborations with the CSIR.
Prof Xu Maobo, Deputy Director-General of the Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Shandong province said: “The aim of our visit to the CSIR was to get an understanding of what research areas they have and how they operate, and see if we could perhaps form collaborations or partnerships with them which will help us to come up with solutions to some of our societal problems back home.
“Our province has a lot of similarities with South Africa and the information gathered from this visit will be shared with other departments back home and hopefully great collaborations and partnerships will materialise from this.”
Prof Xu added: “With this visit, we also aim to foster good relations with South African scientific institutes and see if we can establish formal R&D collaborations which in turn will help us grow bigger and stronger.”
CSIR Contract R&D Manager, Themba Belle who facilitated the visit, indicated that, “These visits provide us with an opportunity to showcase our research capabilities and identify opportunities for international collaboration and partnerships.
The main areas of interest for the Chinese delegation were biosciences (with specific reference to traditional medicines), information and communication technology as well as material science and environment. After being taken through a few presentations regarding their areas of interest the delegation was then taken for a tour through the CSIR Biosciences Bioprocessing facility which boasts Biosafety Level 3 laboratories equipped with the latest cutting-edge equipment ranging from diagnostic, advanced biomedical, proteomics capabilities, to fermentation, algal reactors, and greenhouses.
News contributed by Sibusiso Ralarala , Marketing and Communication Manager: CSIR Biosciences
26 July 2012
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