Date: 2023-08-08
Dr. Chih-Horng Kuo, Research Fellow of the Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology (IPMB) at Academia Sinica, received the 2023 Derrick Edward Award from the International Organization for Mycoplasmology (IOM) and was invited to receive the award at the IOM Congress in Osaka, Japan during July 16-20. Dr. Kuo was recognized for his work at Academia Sinica on bacterial genomics, his effort on establishing domestic and international collaborations, and his contributions to evolutionary biology, gene function, and taxonomy.
The IOM is devoted to promoting research on pathogenic bacteria that pose serious threats to humans, domestic animals, and crops. To facilitate academic exchange and honor outstanding researchers, biannual international congresses are held and the IOM Derrick Edward Award is given to outstanding investigators in mycoplasmology with no more than fifteen years of experience. Nominations for this award are made by IOM members, and the Award Committee selects one deserving awardee for each IOM Congress. The awardee is invited to deliver an award lecture during the Congress to share the research achievements. By receiving this award, Dr. Kuo was recognized for his exceptional contribution in mycoplasmology, through which he has also significantly enhanced the international prominence of Academia Sinica and Taiwan in the field of research. Furthermore, Dr. Kuo was re-appointed as a board member of IOM, and became the Chair of the International Research Programme on Comparative Mycoplasmology (IRPCM) within IOM.