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Promoting Agriculture Proteome Research Activities in the Asia andOceania Region
In the rapidly growing economies of Asia and Oceania, foodsecurity has become a priority concern. With a rising
population, growing more food at affordable prices becomeseven more important. This challenge requires integratedapproaches to increase agricultural production and cope withenvironmental challenges. Proteomics can play a role inaddressing the growing demand for food. The advent ofproteomics has allowed researchers to identify a broadspectrum of proteins in living systems. This capability isespecially useful for agriculture because it may give clues notonly about nutritional value but also about yield production andhow these factors are affected by adverse conditions. Topromote agricultural proteomics activities in the Asia andOceania region, the Asia Oceania Agricultural ProteomeOrganization (AOAPO) was established in 2010 and formallylaunched at the second International Symposium on Frontiersin Agricultural Proteome Research (FAPR) held in Tsukuba,Japan, in November 2010. AOAPO activities cover a broadrange of agricultural proteome research areas including crop,food, insect, microbial and animal proteomics.The third International Symposium on FAPR was held in
Tsukuba, Japan, November 8−10, 2011 and was an outstandingsuccess. The symposium was organized by the NationalInstitute of Crop Science of Japan and cosponsored byOECD Co-operative Research Programme on BiologicalResource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems,and Journal of Proteome Research. The second AOAPOcouncil meeting was held during this symposium, and SetsukoKomatsu was elected as first president-elect of AOAPO. PaulHaynes and Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh were also elected asvice-president and Secretary General of AOAPO, respectively.The AOAPO mission is summarized in the following central
points: (i) Promote the regional and international exchange ofagricultural proteomics knowledge and research techniques viatraining courses and workshops, as well as organization andfunding for regional and international meetings. (ii) Provideexpert advice to governmental and nongovernmental agencieson the support of agricultural proteome research. (iii) Collectand distribute information on agricultural proteome-relatedprograms and projects. (iv) Act as liaison with otherinternational organizations involved in proteomic researchand related developments and provide support for theiractivities.Over the past 2 years, members from Australia, China, Hong
Kong, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand,Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand havejoined AOAPO council. AOAPO plans to continue its supportfor holding regular international symposia in Asia and Oceaniaregion. The primary goal of international symposia is to providea regional forum where Asia-Oceania scientists active inagricultural proteome science can discuss the latest techno-logical developments for proteomics studies, as well as theirapplications to agriculture problems pertinent to the region.The next International Symposium on FAPR is scheduled for
Wuhan, China in November 2012. Further information onAOAPO mission, structure and activities is available at http://www.aoapo.org.
Setsuko Komatsu*,†
Paul A. Haynes‡
Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh§†National Institute of Crop Science, Tsukuba, Japan‡Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia§Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran,Karaj, Iran
■ AUTHOR INFORMATIONCorresponding Author
Published: February 9, 2012
Editorial
pubs.acs.org/jpr
© 2012 American Chemical Society 1461 dx.doi.org/10.1021/pr300063z | J. Proteome Res. 2012, 11, 1461−1461
