BIO Convention to cover global environmental and energy issues.

Press Release Summary:



Scheduled for May 3-6, 2010 BIO International Convention will feature series of high level panels examining latest biotechnology advancements designed to address pressing global industrial and environment issues, from development of advanced biofuels to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. During breakout sessions, speakers will address biofuels, algae, synthetic biology, dedicated energy crops, climate change, nanotechnology, and renewable chemicals.



Original Press Release:



2010 BIO International Convention to Address Global Environmental and Energy Issues



Climate change and next-generation biofuels to be highlighted at global event for biotechnology

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The 2010 BIO International Convention will feature a series of high level panels examining the latest biotechnology advancements designed to address pressing global industrial and environmental issues, from the development of advanced biofuels to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the Convention will be held May 3-6, 2010 in Chicago, Ill. at McCormick Place.

In addition, the Convention will host a Leadership Summit on the role of biotechnology innovation in addressing climate change. Featured speakers include: Roger Beachy, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; Roger Wyse, managing director at Burrill and Company; and Richard Hamilton, president and CEO of Ceres, Inc.

"The 2010 BIO International Convention will focus on the industry's efforts to heal, fuel and feed the world," said Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of BIO. "From finding cleaner, more efficient fuel for cars and trucks to developing more eco-friendly ways to produce plastics, industrial and environmental biotechnology plays a significant role in the industry's efforts to fulfill that goal."

During educational breakout sessions, government officials, industry leading CEOs, researchers and academics will speak about a variety of global environmental issues, including biofuels, biobased products, algae, synthetic biology, dedicated energy crops, climate change, nanotechnology and renewable chemicals.

Breakout sessions in the Industrial and Environmental track include:

  • The Critical Path to Advanced Biofuel Commercialization

    Today's advanced biofuels have tremendous promise but to achieve commercial development, lessons learned from the past must be applied now.

    Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

    Speakers: Jonathan Wolfson, MBA, Solazyme; Arnold Klann, BlueFire Ethanol Fuels; Philip New, BP Biofuels; Robert Ames, Renewable Energy

  • From Fields to Wheels: Integrated Approaches to Solve Biofuels Biggest Questions
    Hot technologies in biofuels R&D, integrated field-to-wheels operational solutions, and the investment overhangs that must be overcome for the biofuels industry to be sustainable.

    Date: Tuesday, May 4, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

    Speakers: Laurence Alexander, Jefferies & Company; Harrison Dillon, Ph.D., Solazyme; Kinkead Reiling, Ph.D., Amyris Biotechnologies; Bill Roe, Coskata

  • Bioenergy from Buried Hydrocarbons

    Buried hydrocarbons are often overlooked and advanced genomic methods and microbial stimulation technologies will open up a new avenue of energy creation.

    Date: Wednesday, May 5, 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

    Speakers Include: Mark Finkelstein, Ph.D., Luca Technologies; Steve Larter, Ph.D., Profero Energy; Bhupendra Soni, Ph.D., Glori Oil; Terry Hazen, Ph.D., Energy Bioscience Institute

  • Developing Economically and Environmentally Sustainable Biomass Supply Chains
    Establishing sustainable supply chains for sourcing multiple biomass feedstocks.

    Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

    Speakers Include: Satish Joshi, Ph.D., Michigan State University; James Hettenhaus, Chief Executive Assistance; Cole Gustafson, Ph.D., North Dakota State University; Robert Abt, Ph.D., North Carolina State University; Burton English, Ph.D., University of Tennessee; Marge Lauer, Kearney Area Ag Producers Alliance

  • The Vision of Industrial Biotechnology: Processes Based on CO, CO2 and H2
    Pros and cons of syngas and how to make it an industrial feedstock for a broad portfolio of processes.

    Date: Wednesday, May 5, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

    Speakers Include: Manfred Kircher, Ph.D., Cluster of Industrial Biotechnology (CLIB2021); Nicolas Rudinger, Evonik Degussa, GmbH; David Bressler, University of Alberta; Robert Brown, Iowa State University; Mike Muston, Otoka Energy

    For detailed descriptions and a full program, please visit http://convention.bio.org/.

    More than 150 industrial and environmental biotechnology companies are expected to attend the Convention. Participating companies include Abbott Laboratories, Abengoa Bioenergy, Genencor, Life Technologies Corporation and Tokyo Future Style.

    Members of the media can register at convention.bio.org/media/.

    The annual BIO International Convention helps to support the association's programs and initiatives. BIO works throughout the year to create a policy environment that enables the industry to continue to fulfill its vision of bettering the world through biotechnology innovation.

    About BIO

    BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.
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