Singapore, Feb 17, 2009: The President of National Cheng Kung University, Dr Michael Ming-Chiao Lai, was presented with the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America (SCBA) in recognition of his exceptional achievements in molecular virology, especially in hepatitis and coronavirus and their implications in diverse human infectious diseases, cancer and therapeutics.

The co-recipient for the Lifetime Achievement Awards is Prof Jean Chen Shih from University of Southern California. Both awardees will be presented with a SCBA Trophy and a $2,000 cash award, as well as are invited to present a keynote lecture of their respective fields during the 12th SCBA International Symposium to be held at the Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, in June, 2009.

Academician Dr Michael MC Lai, the President of NCKU, earned his Bachelor of Medicine (MB) from National Taiwan University and PhD degree in molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is an Academician of Academia Sinica and the former Vice President of Academia Sinica as well as a Professor of the University of Southern California. He also serves as a member of the Science & Technology Advisory Group of the Executive Yuan.