Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) established its first Center for Scientific Instrument and Technology Innovation in the Institute of Biophysics (IBP). The inaugural ceremony, presided by IBP director, Professor Tao Xu, was held on Sep. 10th, 2009 at the institute’s library lecture hall. Officials and experts from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, CAS and institutes of related fields attended the ceremony. 
Instruments and research methodology play an indispensable role in scientific research. According to statistics, only one third Nobel Prize was awarded to pure scientific discoveries while two thirds of the award was to recognize innovative methods, ideas, instruments, tools and techniques. Nowadays, the research torch of life science has passed from molecular level to systemic level, and therefore the break-through of key techniques and instruments is urgently needed to satisfy such an overwhelming research demand. Realizing the situation and after several years of preparation, CAS decided to establish the center at IBP in light of the institute’s strengths and distinctives in instruments. During its over half century development, IBP has laid a solid foundation in innovation and development of scientific instruments and tools.  Up to now, the institute had developed more than one hundred different kinds of research instruments which had been used in various areas of research, such as space studies, bionics, radiation, separation and purification, spectroscopy, spectroscopy, image analysis, medical diagnostics and so on.
The center for Scientific Instrument and Technology Innovation will be directly led by the Beijing Institutes of Life Sciences (BIOLS), Chinese Academy of Sciences. It will become a platform of integrated interdisciplinary research in biosciences, innovation and development of biological research methods, instruments and tools. It will not only coordinate exchange and sharing of large-scale biological research equipments, but also deliver facility service to all the biological institutions in Beijing area.

[Photograph] 

01-　  IBP Director Tao Xu is presenting

02-　  Ms. Yan Tian announcing the appointment of the center director

03-　  Mr. Yiqi Peng, Vice director of Dept of Basic research, Ministry of Science and Technology

04-　  Mr. Feng Pan, Vice director of Bureau of Planning and Strategy, CAS

05-　  Mr. Dasheng Wang, deputy director of Agriculture Project Office, CAS

06-　  Meeting in session

07-　  Unveiling ceremony

08-　  IBP deputy director Weiming Gong presiding the meeting