1. APAN Bioinformatics Working Group Dr Tan Tin Wee tinwee@pobox.org.sg APAN Bioinformatics WG Chairman National University of Singapore 18 September 1998 apan-sec@apan.net

2. Charter Forum for coordination and joint research Develop new technology and services for bioinformatics infrastructure in the APAN network, Provide the networking expertise to assist organisations such as the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network.

3. Operational Thrusts Building network infrastructure Promote shared networked database and computational resources Education and Training Strategic partnership with the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet) www.apbionet.org

4. Joint APAN-APBioNet Networking Project Build Networking Infrastructure in region to facilitate bioinformatics development, research and training Endorsed by APEC Telecommunications Working Group at the Brunei APEC TEL 17th Meeting, March 1998. Designated prioritised status by APEC TEL WG Development Cooperation Steering Group, 18th Mtg, Papua New Guinea September 1998 Acclaimed in APEC as playing critical role in Asia Pacific Information Infrastructure (APII)

5. BioNetwork Project Phases Phase 1: Japan DDBJ/NIG/SINET and MAFFIN, Philippines DOA/IRRI/PHNET Singapore BIC/SINGAREN, Australia ANGIS/ACSys STATUS: Links established. Phase 2: Canada CBR, USA, Korea BRIC, HongKong HKUST Phase 3: Other interested networks NCGEB/NECTEC/AIT/AI3 for Thailand ITB in Indonesia MSC-BIT /TEMAN in Malaysia and many others.

6. Education and Training Raise awareness of potential of using advanced network technologies for bioinformatics among life scientists Joint APAN-APBioNet BioMedical Informatics Workshop/Seminar, July 1998, Seoul Others to be organised in collaboration with APBioNet

7. Applications Development Proposal for Joint APAN-APBioNet Bioinformatics WG on networked applications Partnership with Metacomputing WG to build Computational BioGrid Cybercasting and Teleconferencing applications for APBioNet meetings

8. Compute and Content Resource Sharing and Services The goal in this area is to encourage the use of networking in sharing of computational and content/database resources among bioinformatics researchers and bioinformatics users Global BioMirrors project - MAFFIN (AFFRC) Japan. Biotech Directory - BRIC, Pohang Univ, Korea. Remote control and data acquisition of 3D crystallography data from Synchrotrons for computational structural biology - BIC, National Univ of Singapore with SSRL, NSLS

9. Meetings 1997.3.19-21 Singapore APAN Applications WG Meeting 1998.3.2-3 Tsukuba APAN Committee & WG Meetings and Workshop 1998.7.1-3 Seoul APAN Committee & WG Meetings and Workshop 1999 Jan (TBD) PSB'99 Hawaii 1999.2.24-26 (TBD) APAN Committee & WG Meetings and Workshop

10. More information Website: http://www.apbionet.org/ Website Australia node: http://www-au.apbionet.org/ Website Singapore node: http://www.sg.apbionet.org/ APAN WG Website: http://www.apan.net/groups/bioinformatics.html Mailing List: announce@apbionet.org

11. Current Issues NIH is not connected; NCBI is not linked European link is not established - EMBnet APBioNet report submitted to EMBnet 10th AGM Sep98. Formation of National bioinformatics networks Establish Network connectivity internally Create more awareness Funding for a coordination regional body