Introduction

The Institute of Biochemical Sciences was established in 1972 at the exhortation of the late Professor Cho-Ho Li, who was the Director of the Hormone Research Laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco. After his first 8-week University lectureship in 1958, Professor Li became deeply involved in the preparation of an educational and research institute to train students in the modern interdisciplinary science of Chemistry and Biology and to promote the Protein Research in Taiwan. From 1958-1971, through a process of exchange and consultation between Professor Li and the President of Academia Sinica, Minister of Education and Chairman of National Science Council, a consensus was reached to set up a joint collaborative Institute between the University and Academia Sinica. The counterpart institute was named Institute of Biological Chemistry (IBC). Both institutes maintain close collaboration in teaching and research. Since 1973 the Institute of Biochemical Sciences has attracted many undergraduates with degrees in diverse fields from various colleges and universities to pursue the Master degree (M.S.). The Institute set up its Ph. D., program in 1984 and still maintained close collaboration with IBC. Currently the Institute employs 36 full-time faculty, including 18 professors, 10 associate professors, and 8 assistant professors. In addition, 28 faculty members of the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, are available to support teaching and research.