PREMIER TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE CENTER FOR COCOA BIOTECHNOLOGY

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PROGRAMS

1. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Agro Biotechnology

Food Biotechnology

Industrial and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
2. INFRASTRUCTURE
3. RESEARCH COLLABORATION
4. ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT AND RISK ASSESSMENT
5. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

AREAS	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROGRAMMES	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Agro-Biotechnology OBJECTIVES: To develop and generate new technologies and knowledge in cocoa biotechnology that will contribute to improved productivity and production efficiency	Improve average farm yield through genetic engineering, proteomics and molecular marker assisted breeding Develop molecular marker technology and transgenic plants that will allowed breeders to create CPB resistant, VSD and black pod resistant, and higher yield for farmers Improve upon and adapt somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration procedures for clones commonly used by Malaysian farmers and breeders Develop specialty cocoa trees such as for high butter, high flavor, unique flavor, high anti-oxidant level Discover new entomopathogens against CPB Discover new microorganisms antagonistics to Oncobasidium theobromae and Phytopththora palmivora	Genomics, Proteomics	Identification of AFLP, SSR and SNP molecular markers for yield, thick sclerotic layer, smooth, hard & shiny pods surfaces, high flavour, high phenolic compound, high butter (triacylglycerol), high proline (drought resistant) Using proteomics to identify trees with CPB resistant characteristics (thick sclerotic layer, smooth, hard & shiny pods surfaces) Characterizing and exploiting genetic diversity Genetic mapping and quantitative trait loci analysis for resistant to fungal diseases and insect pests, yield and flavor	2002-2015	Complete fingerprint of cocoa germplasm Construction of a genetic linkage map containing thousands molecular markers and QTLs for VSD & black pod resistant and yield	3 Molecular Biology
		Genetic engineering	Refinement of a genetic transformation system Genetic engineering of cocoa for resistance to the pod borer moth Genetic engineering of cocoa for fruit abscission Genetic engineering of cocoa for drought tolerance Sequencing and profiling of Vicilin-like globulin protein in Malaysian cocoa beans to improve flavour Genetic engineering of CPB insect for autocidal death	2002-2015	CPB resistant cocoa clones Dropping mature pod clones Drought tolerance cocoa clones Beans with intense chocolate flavor Autocidal death of CPB	1 Molecular Biology 1 Genetic Transformation
		Micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis and regeneration	Development of invitro technology - tissue culture and micropropagation techniques Development of a secondary somatic embryogenesis and regeneration procedures	2002-2010	Efficient somatic embryogenesis and regeneration procedure Availability of robust micropropagation and tissue culture techniques	2 Tissue Culturist
		Breeding specialty cocoa trees and develop micro-biochemical technique for analyzing cocoa embryos	Breed separate populations of trees to produce beans that are highly enhanced in specific characteristics:-  high cocoa butter  high polyphenol (antioxidant for “health chocolate”)  high cocoa flavor  low theobromine and caffeine  high favor notes (fruity, nutty, floral, etc.) Develop procedure for the micro analysis of triacylglycerol, polyphenol (tannin), methylxanthines and storage protein	2005-2015	Trees metabolically designed without genetic engineering to produce beans with intense chocolate flavor or high flavor notes (nutty, floral, fruity) or high cocoa butter or high antioxidants Accurate measurement of TAG, polyphenol, methylxanthines and storage protein from 100 mg dried cocoa embryo	1 Breeder 2 Biochemist
		Exploitation of naturally occurring endophytic microorganisms within cocoa trees	Screening endophytic organisms for the activity against Oncobasidium theobromae and Phytopththora palmivora Screening endophytic organisms for the pathogenicity to CPB	2003-2010	Endophytic microorganisms within cocoa trees to control insect pests and diseases	2 Microbiologist
AREAS	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROGRAMMES	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Food-Biotechnology (Enzymology, Bioprocess Engineering, Industrial Microbiology and Molecular Biology) OBJECTIVES: To develop and enhance the quality of cocoa products as well as to improve the health benefits of cocoa- based products	Diversify and improve the quality of cocoa products (including already fermented and dried inferior beans) with new technologies Ingredient improvement Shelf life improvement Develop chocolate that encourage the growth of probiotic Develop high antioxidant chocolate	Development of cocoa tree based products for food and health industries	Metabolic engineering to improve cocoa flavour and butter Use of enzymes and microorganisms for conversion of raw cocoa materials to produce new products Molecular modelling to improve the properties of cocoa butter Characterization of peptides formed during fermentation of cocoa bean	2006-2015	New products Semi finished products (cocoa butter, liquor, powder) from bean, product from other cocoa tissues perhaps jam and jelly from cocoa pod gum and finshed products (herbal chocolates, beverages, couverture, confectionary). Cocoa with high cocoa butter and flavour	1 Food Chemist 1 Food Engineer 1 Enzymologist
		Nutraceuticals 1. Creating prebiotic chocolates that encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine 2. Creating high antioxidant chocolates that are beneficial to health	Incorporating prebiotics (inulin) into chocolate Developing high polyphenol (high antioxidant) chocolate Develop superior probiotic strains to tolerate oxygen in order to develop new health based probiotics functional food products Supplementing the diet from cocoa with probiotics to prevent the colonization of harmful bacteria Understand the potential of probiotic bacteria as a treatment technique Conduct fundamental studies on the immuno-modulating mechanisms of the probotic bacterial strains using molecular biology techniques, animal bioassays and human trials	2003-2010	Probiotic products High antioxidant chocolates	1 Food Technologist 1 Food Microbiologist
AREAS	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROGRAMMES	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Industrial and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology OBJECTIVES: To develop new products by discovering novel and useful bioactive compounds from the cocoa tree and associated microbes in the cocoa environment, and to commercially exploit cocoa waste	Develop new product through discovering novel and useful bioactive compounds from cocoa tree and associated microbes in the cocoa environment Improving the nutritional quality of pods for animal feed and cocoa shells for heavy metal removal	Pharmaceutical Product Development	Extraction, identification and characterization novel and useful bioactive compounds, from cocoa tree and associated microbes in the cocoa environment for microbial acticity Develop method to efficiently purify these compounds Devise method to increase the level of these compounds possibly by breeding, metabolic engineering and culturing in bio-reactors Study the biochemical pathway leading to their synthesis Creation of plants which provide proteins of pharmaceutical values	2003-2010	Screen hundreds compounds or enzymes from cocoa trees and associated microbes for antibiotics, biopesticides and human physiological activity	1 Microbiologist 1 Analytical Chemist 1 Pharmacologist 1 Bioreactor Designer
		Management of Cocoa Waste	Exploitation of cocoa waste to commercial value products Elimination of tannin and methylxanthin in pod husks as animal food Cocoa shells for heavy metal removal	2006-2015	New products	2 Microbiologist
		Research on peptide and protein engineering to study and alter the structure and function of industrially important enzymes and other biologically active molecules	Use of x-ray crystallography and molecular modelling to understand the catalytic mechanism, and to suggest target regions for mutagenesis in the biomolecule Enzymatic assay - Chloramphenicol Acetyl Transferase (CAT), Kinase, β-Galactosidase Carbohydrate assay Acid amino analysis Protein expression	2006-2015	Improving upon compounds or enzymes found to have anti-micobial, biopesticides and human physiological activity	1 Biochemist 2 Protein Engineer 1 Enzymologist
PROGRAM	OBJECTIVE	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
INFRASTRUCTURE	Develop new research center with excellent infrastructure and facility to support biotechnology innovation and services in good working environment by 2005	Ensure an effective scientific base and make strategic investments in R & D to support biotechnology innovation and services	Land acquisition Establishment of new COCOABiotech center, Biotech innovation center, glasshouse Strategic investment in equipment	2003-2005	New modern COCOABiotech center with excellent infrastructure and facility	Director
PROGRAM	OBJECTIVE	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
RESEARCH COLLABORATION	Establish and strengthen collaboration with national and international biotechnology centres and build relationships for technology development partnerships	Develop biotechnology collaboration and stronger linkages with local and international organizations and industry Facilitate and support participation in national/international projects in key areas such cocoa genome project, protein engineering & genetic enginering and through access to major equipment and infrastructures	Collaboration research with national and international institution	2002--->	.	Director
PROGRAM	OBJECTIVE	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT AND RISK ASSESSMENT	Ensures that potential risks from the introduction of genetically modified organisms are accurately assessed and are managed effectively	Establish a framework and a methodology for risk management and risk assessment. Identify priorities for an environmental risk management and risk assessment program. Monitor and evaluate any impacts	.	2002--->	.	2 Transgenic Screening
PROGRAM	OBJECTIVE	STRATEGIC PLAN	PROJECTS	DURATION	PERFORMANCE INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTOR
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT	Develop capacity-building programmes to enhanced management skills and high quality researchers with competently delivers effective and equitable technology and services in cocoa biotechnology by 2010	Develop, attract, motivate and retain high quality researchers, particularly in those fields that has strong capacities to commercialise research outcomes. Improve management of research, intellectual property and technology. Monitor emerging skills needs in the biotechnology sector and develop appropriate responses.	Recruitment of high qualify researchers and staffs Promotion exercise for high quality researchers and staffs Formulate and implement communication strategy Establish systems for recognition of contributions to improved performance Develop learnership framework Develop and implement continued training programmes for HRD professionals Prepare guidelines on career development for lower-graded staffs Prepare guidelines for prescribed competencies and skills programmes Accelerate IT skills development programmes Coordinate and monitor the impact of training on job performance Ensure retention high quality researchers and staffs	2002-2010 (first phase)	Highly skilled, motivated, dedicated experts and staffs Reduction in the general backlog of services Reduction in the number of complaints received Increase the number of experts and high quality staffs Increase the number of new technologies applied and services Increase the number of patents	Top Management