The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Research Platform for Protein Sciences is an organization independently established by the CAS Institute of Biophysics with the support of public technology. It is designed to provide technology service to researchers in the Institute of Biophysics and their peers without any connections to the institute.

The CAS Research Platform for Protein Sciences, launched over 10 years ago, mainly consists of the Laboratory of Structure and Function Analysis Technology, the Center for Biological Imaging, the Laboratory of Proteomics Technology, and the Laboratory Animal Center. It is known for its innovative research and manufacturing of laboratory instruments and technology service. There are five additional open laboratories with affiliation to the platform that further boost its research technology for protein sciences.

About 340 sets of equipment with a total value of 250 million yuan are directly managed and employed by the research platform. There are 64 budgeted employees, two of which are primarily involved in administration and 62 of which are mainly responsible for technology-related research.

The major focus of the Laboratory of Structure and Function Analysis Technology is the structural interpretation of protein crystal diffraction and the analytics of nuclear magnetic spectrometers, which covers all technologies from protein preparation to its functional analyses.

The Center for Biological Imaging is dedicated to developing high-resolution and three-dimensional imaging technologies for biological objects from nano scale to meso scale and giving answers to core issues of life sciences via research into ultrafine high-resolution and three-dimensional structure of biological objects. The center has successfully developed a number of technologies such as super-resolution optical microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, 3D reconstruction, single-molecule fluorescence imaging and atomic force microscopy, as well as a series of biological microscopy sample preparation techniques. In addition, it has provided biological micro-imaging service in Beijing and neighboring areas, promoted progress in cutting-edge research related to life sciences, and grown into an important supporting platform for research into basic life science in China.

The Laboratory of Proteomics Technology has taken the analytical and testing center as its operation model. With the support of many techniques such as chromatographs, electrophoresis, spectrometry and stable isotope labeling, it has conducted the research and application of new technologies and methods related to proteomics and metabolomics, provided technology supporting service to key research projects, and developed research cooperation.

As an important research facility in the Institute of Biophysics, the Laboratory Animal Center has taken testing of animals as its major focus, provided research groups from the institute with SPF-level laboratory animal breeding and animal test technology services, and conducted pathological analyses as well as innovative research of laboratory technologies and methods in relation to animal tests.

The Innovative Research and Manufacturing of Laboratory Instrument and Technology Service Center has been tasked with the innovative research and manufacturing of laboratory tools for the Institute of Biophysics. Meanwhile, it has also provided the institute and other research bodies with instrument maintenance service.

According to figures from the CAS Instrument and Apparatus-sharing Management System, the performance-based income of the research platform has witnessed a sustainable and steady growth since 2008. The number of service bookings of its instrument and apparatuses reached 23,000 in 2015, generating an annual income of 20 million yuan for the first time. Moreover, the length of time spent by its applicants on targeted instrument and apparatuses surpassed 10,000 hours, and the instrument-sharing rate was 87 percent that year.

As a member of the Capital Science and Technology Resource Platform and the CAS Research and Development Laboratory Service Base, the Institute of Biophysics has opened its key laboratories and scientific research platforms to the public on the basis of meeting its own needs and those of key partners. The scope of its service ranges from the separation, purification and appraisal of proteins to targeted screening and confirmation of proteins, the design of drugs connected with the structure of proteins, the delivery system and the modification of proteins and polypeptide drugs, the upstream techniques of reconstructed protein-related drugs, and research into antibody drugs. The service modes include technological development, technological service, technological transfer, and screening service.

The Research Platform for Protein Sciences in the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Address: 3109, No. 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Zip code: 100101

Tel: 8610-644888575

E-mail: yugangh@ibp.ac.cn