Michael Lai (賴明詔), a noted US-based coronavirus expert who has assisted in Taiwan's campaign against SARS, is scheduled to assume the post of vice president of Academia Sinica today.
Lai, 61, a Taiwan-born professor at the University of Southern California who concurrently heads a World Health Organization (WHO) coronavirus research team, is replacing Sunney Chan (
Lai, who has dedicated himself to coronavirus research for some 30 years, is known worldwide as "the father of coronavirus research." Currently a professor with the University of Southern California, Medical Branch, Lai's books have been used as major textbooks on the coronavirus in most medical schools in the US.
Graduated from National Taiwan University, Lai obtained his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, with majors in virology and molecular biology.
As the coronavirus is the pathogen that causes SARS, Lai returned to Taiwan in early May to investigate the outbreaks of the pneumonia-like disease that sickened more than 8,000 people worldwide and has claimed 810 lives. Taiwan has been gripped by the mysterious, contagious disease since mid-March.
During his stay, Lai cooperated with an Academia Sinica SARS research team in developing vaccines and drugs for SARS patients.
Lai said shortly after his arrival in Taipei that there is no effective cure or preventive measures for SARS at the moment.
"Quarantine is the only way to contain its spread right now, " he said.
After assuming his post as vice president of Academia Sinica, Lai is expected to head, supervise and coordinate the institute's genosome and life sciences research.
Academia Sinica, headed by Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), will host a news conference July 23 to formally introduce Lai to the country.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition