Introduction
Institute of Bioscience (IBS), a premier research centre in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), is synonymous with excellence in innovation and research development, producing not only manpower in much needed fields of life sciences and biotechnology, but also many novel inventions and products. Powered by scientists of various backgrounds from natural sciences, biotechnology, medicine, agriculture and engineering, IBS focuses on cutting edge multidisciplinary research in natural products discovery, molecular biomedicine, cancer, vaccines and immunotherapeutics and marine biotechnology.
Animal industry in particular aquaculture and chicken contribute significantly to human protein consumption globally since fish and chicken based protein and related products have high nutritive values and there is no restriction among different religions. Hence, the current aquaculture and poultry industries are highly intensive and mechanized in order to meet the growing demands of the world population. One of the biggest challenges in aquaculture and chicken industries are management and control of infectious diseases through the use of various biosecurity approaches including the use of diagnostics, vaccines and other therapeutics.
Research and development in the areas of animal disease and health towards the development of diagnostics and vaccines has been one of IBS main research focuses due to the unique combinations of experts from different fields such as veterinary, biomedical, biotechnology, agriculture and engineering. Therefore, over the past 10 years numerous achievements in form of publications, awards, innovation and research outputs with potential for commercialization and commercialized products have been produced. Recognizing this achievement, in 2010, IBS was recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education as one of the six Higher Institution Centres of Excellence (HICoE) in the country for research in animal vaccines and therapeutics.
IBS has established short term (2010 to 2014) and long term (2105 to 2019) action plans in order to transform IBS-HICoE as centre of excellence in research and innovation of animal vaccines and therapeutics with international repute meeting the changing needs of the nation and the world. IBS-HICoE has engaged networking with both local and international collaborators to establish research partnership in HICoE research programs.
IBS-HICoE goals are :
- to lead high impact research and innovation in animal vaccines and therapeutics for a sustainable and high health animal and aquaculture industries and
- to become referral centre of international repute in animal vaccines and therapeutics
To achieve these goals, IBS-HICoE has instituted 4 strategies ;
- to increase research and innovation activities to the highest level,
- to ensure sufficient number of staff who are competent in advanced technologies and to enhance involvement of international researchers and graduate students in research,
- to increase research partnership with the relevant agencies at national and international levels,
- to ensure efficient management and operation system through the implementation of certification and accreditation programs of international recognition and
- to position IBS-HICoE amongst globally renowned centre of excellence by leading international initiatives