Guangdong Institute of Microbiology(GDIM) was found in 1964 with the approval of the State Science and Technology Commission. Its predecessor is the Central South China Mycology Research Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), It renamed to GDIM in 1972 and since then it has been subordinated to Guangdong Academy of Sciences (GAS). Among its total 208 staff members, 172 are scientists and technicians, 42 with senior title, 31 with doctorate degree and 68 with master degree, and 14 graduate supervisors. GDIM owns over 70 sets of advanced instruments and equipment in which each price higher than 100 thousand Yuan (RMB), with the total cost of over 40 million Yuan (RMB), and over 20,000 volumes of scientific books and journals, of which half are foreign publications.
As a professional institute for scientific research in microbiology with tropical and subtropical features and advantages, GDIM strategically positions itself as a modern microbiological scientific research institute which is to be geared to the microbiology-related needs of national and Guangdong’s social and economic development, focusing on the fundamental and applied fundamental researches and public non-profit researches in microbial resources which are characterized with tropical and subtropical features, in microorganisms related to ecological environment, in food safety and human health; conducting researches in common and key technologies and cutting-edge technologies for future application which provide support to the sustainable development of the biotechnology-related industries, and endeavoring to become a modernized and organized institute with original innovation abilities. GDIM’s Its key research fields: diversity and preliminary development of microbial resources, microbial ecology and environment pollution control, detection and control of microbiological hazards, microbial molecular breeding and biotransformation， biology technologies about edible medicinal fungi and human health. So far, four advantage disciplines, namely resource microbiology, environmental microbiology, analytical microbiology and biodeteriorative microbiology have been developed in the institute.
State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology，South China (The Ministry—Province Joint Development), Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application are settled here with a fungus herbarium and a culture collection center, the largest in South China and the second-largest in China. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application has won the title of Excellent Key Laboratory of Guangdong province for four consecutive times. In 2010, GDIM established a post-doctoral research station with approval of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of People’s Republic of
China. Guangdong Detection Center of Microbiology (Guangdong Quality Supervision and Inspection Station for Edible Fungi) was accredited by CMA in 1999 and was accredited by China National Accreditation Board for Laboratories (CNAL) in 2004, with the status of an Independent Legal Person and status of a third-party laboratory recognized, and testing data recognized by international community. The center, which is recognized by CNCA and which does well in complying with the guidelines of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), won CMAF in 2012. In addition, our institute took part in the establishment of Guangdong Scientific and Technological Innovation Platform for Food Safety Test and Evaluation as a main participator, and participated in the establishment of Guangdong Scientific and Technological Innovation Platform for Material Test and Evaluation; “The Public Experimental Center for New Biotechnologies and Biological Products Research and Development and Test of National Biological Industry Base(Guangzhou)” and “Guangzhou Evaluation and Service Center of Chemicals and Ecological Environment Safety” whose establishment was approved by NDRC have been completed and put into use in 2011. Guangdong Society of Microbiology, Guangdong Association for Edible Fungi and Guangdong Productivity Promotion Center for Biotechnology are affiliated to our institute.
Our institute has made considerable achievements in scientific and technological innovation and service, common key technologies research and research findings transformation since being established about 50 years ago. In regard to scientific and technological innovation, we undertook National “973” Project, National “863” Project, National Major Science and Technology Project, National Science and Technology Supporting Project, Project Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, Industry-Academia-Research Project Supported by Guangdong province and Ministry of Education, Bidding Project Supported by Guangdong and Hong Kong, Team Project Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong, Major Science and Technology Project of Guangdong, Science and Technology Project Aiding Tibet and other major key science and technology projects. More than 140 scientific and technological achievements have been obtained, of which 54 achievements reach international advanced level. More than 100 national and provincial prizes have been awarded, including 5 national prizes and 11 provincial prizes. Regarding patent technology, 264 patent applications have been accepted and 148 have been authorized. Among 255 invention patent applications, 139 were authorized. Our institute was appointed as an provincial institutional intellectual property pilot unit in 2007, and as a national intellectual property pilot unit in 2009. In relation to standards establishment, our institute took charge of and participated in the establishment and revision of more than 70 110 national standards, industry standards and local standards. We published more than 1700 papers in foreign and domestic academic journals and 35 scientific and technological monographs. Our institute won excellent team award for implementation of national scientific and technological plans of “11th five-year plan”, the title of “Civilized Unit of Province government’s direct management” for 8 years from 2000 to 2007, and the honorary title of “Civilized Unit in Guangdong Province” in 2007.
The goals for institute’s development: Oriented to the demand of Guangdong’s social and economic development and the demand of enhancing Guangdong’s ability in scientific and technological self-innovation, GDIM aims to promote itself to be a base for microbial culture resources, a base for modern scientific and technological innovation in the microbiological field, a base of source for the modern microbiological research achivements that can be commercialized, a base of experiment for promoting Sino-foreign cooperation in microbiological research, a base for high-level microbiological talents cultivation and a base of technological support for relevant industrial optimization and upgrading of Guangdong province, striving to play the backbone role and leading role in the regional, scientific and technological innovation system in Guangdong.
