The Executive Committee (EC) Meeting is an integral annual event of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB), traditionally hosted in member countries. For the year 2024, the Indonesian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ISBMB or PBBMI) was honored to organize the FAOBMB Executive Meeting. Originally requested by FAOBMB at the end of 2019, the event was deferred due to the pandemic. With improvements in global health conditions, Indonesia was confirmed as the host nation towards the end of 2023.
A) Executive Committee Meeting (May 9, 2024)
In the implementation of the event, ISBMB appointed ISBMB Yogyakarta Chapter as the organizer, and ISBMB Yogyakarta collaborated with FK KMK Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) as the implementing partner. The event saw the participation of FAOBMB’s executive committee, including:
1. President: Professor Joon Kim, Korea University
2. Past President: Professor Akira Kikuchi, CiDER Osaka University, Japan
3. General Secretary: Professor Sheila Nathan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
4. Treasurer: Professor Shannon Au, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
5. Education Committee Chair: Dr. Nirma Samarawickrema, Monash University Australia
6. Fellowships Committee Chair: Professor P. P. Rasika Perera, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka.
The meeting commenced on May 9 at the Wisma MMUGM Hotel, providing a platform for exclusive strategic discussions among the FAOBMB executive members, with ISBMB executives participating as observers.
B) Symposium (May10, 2024)
The following day, May 10, featured a hybrid symposium held on the 1st floor of the Tahir Building at FK KMK UGM, themed “Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Uniqueverse for Research and Education in Biomedicine.” This symposium served as a significant academic exchange, featuring several high-profile speakers from the FAOBMB EC and ISBMB who discussed current trends and research in biochemistry and molecular biology. The roster of speakers included:
1. Professor Akira Kikuchi: Novel targets in liver cancer therapy
2. Professor Joon Kim: Cellular ribosomal stress responses and human disease
3. Professor Shannon Au: Structural dynamics of human proteins
4. Dr. Sarmoko (International Affairs of ISBMB) from Institut Teknologi Sumatera: Advances in GPCR research
5. Prof. Dr. Dra. Sunarti (Chairman of the ISBMB Yogyakarta Branch) from FKKMK UGM: Nutrigenetic for personalized nutrition
6. Professor Sheila Nathan: Overview of FAOBMB’s upcoming programs
7. Dr. Nirma Samarawickrema: Introducing new initiatives and programs in biochemistry and molecular biology education
8. Professor P. P. Rasika Perera: Introducing new initiatives and programs in fellowship.
The event, moderated by Prof. ZeilyNurachman and Dr. YogikOnky Silvana Wijaya, Ph.D. The symposium demonstrated the value of collaboration for ISBMB by enhancing the scientific understanding of its members—one of the organization’s core objectives. With presentations from some of the world’s leading experts, the event facilitated direct, productive interactions among participants. Chapter heads or representative from ISBMB’s Yogyakarta, Bogor, Jakarta, Surabaya, Lampung, Purwokerto, Malang, and Pekanbaru branches attended the event in person. This provided them with the opportunity to directly engage with FAOBMB Executive Committee members and promptly discuss potential collaborations. The hybrid format of the event successfully engaged 70 in-person attendees and 216 online participants from across Indonesia.
C) Social Event
Besides the scientific sessions, ISBMB also arranged cultural activities to enrich the guests ’ experience. This included a Gala Dinner at Bale Raos Royal Cuisine Restaurant, where guests enjoyed a selection of Indonesian culinary specialties. Additionally, the attendees were treated to a performance of “The Legend of Rorojonggrang” at the Prambanan Temple complex, and they visited the historic Borobudur Temple on May 11th, providing a comprehensive cultural immersion into Indonesia’s rich heritage.
The event concluded on May 12, with participants returning to their home countries. The FAOBMB subsequently expressed gratitude towards the individuals and teams instrumental in the event’s success: (official letter, see attachment).
• Dr. Rahmawati Ridwan: Past President of ISBMB and SC for the FAOBMB EC Meeting
• Prof. Dr. Zeily Nurachman: Elected President of ISBMB
• Dr. Sarmoko: OC-Executive Coordinator of the event
• Prof. Dr. Sunarti: Chairperson of ISBMB Yogyakarta, the host branch organizer
• Prof. dr. Ahmad Hamim Sadewa, Ph.D: Representative of FK-KMK UGM, partner and support
This event marks a milestone in the history of ISBMB’s involvement with FAOBMB and underscores the continued relevance and impact of such international collaborations in the scientific community.
Submit by: Head of ISBMB International Affairs, Dr. Sarmoko