VAST President works with Managing Director of Be – Basic Foundation

17/12/2014

On June 16th, Prof. Chau Van Minh, President of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) had a working session with Prof. Bram Brouwer, Managing Director of BE – Basic Foundation, from the Netherlands.

The working session also drew the participation of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ninh Khac Ban, Head of Department of International Cooperation; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Hoang Ha, Director of the Institute of Biotechnology; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Thi Cam Ha, from the Institute of Biotechnology.

Up to 2013, BE-BASIC Foundation had 48 members, including universities, science and technology enterprises, leading companies and several international representatives.

be-basic
Prof. Chau Van Minh and Prof. Bram Brouwer at the working session

VAST has cooperated with Prof. Bram Brouwer and the foundation since 2001 in the field of analyzing dioxin by biotechnology (DR-Calux). In 2011 and 2012, the two sides signed MOU and LOI on long-term cooperation on science and technology, and human resource training. In the initial period, cooperation focused on searching and exploiting genetic sources by Metagenomics to create economic products on biological base.

Priority orientations in this period are to find enzymes, catalyst and bioactive substances to convert lignocellulose from agricultural scraps to make a foundation to gradually create 12 clusters of tectonic chemicals instead of fossil materials; contributing to creating materials to provide health check-ups and treatment to humans and plants and treat environmental pollution. Based on these objectives and orientations, the two sides started to implement projects that both contribute funds. The two sides shared and used results based on the principles of a specific framework agreement according to laws of the two nations and international laws.

So far, the cooperation between the two sides has been further promoted. The two sides cooperated with the Ministry of Science and Technology to make economic development in ecological foundations routine, focusing on several products, which have the most important significance in the high technology groups competing for economic development and environmental protection.

Translated by Tuyet Nhung
Link to Vietnamese Version