The Society for Biotechnology, Japan/ Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize

Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize 2008 Prize Winner Dr. Dong-Myung Kim (Chungnam National University, Korea) has been selected as the winner of the 2008 Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the field of biotechnology. Dr. Kim was honored at the Award Ceremony on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 during 60th SBJ Annual Meeting in Sendai, Japan. Dr. Kim earned his PhD from Seoul National University in 1996. His PhD work was dedicated to the development of efficient cell-free protein synthesis systems. From 1993 to 1994, he worked in Prof. Shigeyuki Yokoyama’s lab (University of Tokyo) as a visiting scholar. During his tenure as a post-doc of Prof. Jim Swartz, Stanford University from 1998 to 2000, he developed a novel system that efficiently provides ATP for cell-free protein synthesis at a remarkably reduced reagent cost. The results of his work have been licensed to Roche Diagnostics, where he worked as a Principal Scientist and a Research Director for three years. Dr. Kim joined Chungnam National University in 2003 and has been serving as an Associate Professor. <Acceptance Message> I am honored to receive the 2008 Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan. I understand that the purposes of this prize include promoting scientific interactions between Japan and other Asian countries. In that point, I am especially pleased because my works for the prize were initiated in Japan through the collaboration with Prof. Shigeyuki Yokoyama. As a biotechnologist working on protein synthesis, I am always marveled at the power of ‘combination’. Just like simple amino acids can drive all the great things through their combinations into protein molecules, I wish all the excellent expertise owned by the regional scientists can be shared and exchanged for greater achievements.