If you missed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger’s address at BIO 2008. Here is a short clip of the Governor expressing the personal importance of biotechnology to him and his family as well as the steps California has taken to advance biotechnology innovation in the state.
 

You can also download and view the video here.

Are you missing out on the biofuels revolution? Have you been distracted? Say by the rising cost of oil? If you’re at the BIO International Convention, and you haven’t had a chance to talk to the folks at Keller Biofuels, or if you just didn’t get a chance to come, tune in to this clip and learn about their technology.

You can also download and view this video here.

“We use the language of life to fix its mistakes. We use the language of life to enable us to live on this planet sustainably.  Decoding the secrets of life scares some people, but it inspires us.  Some people ask how can you play God with the language of life?  We say we’re not trying to be God…we are only trying to be fully human.  Though we cannot see all that the future holds, our vision is clear.  We can see that the knowledge you have pioneered– and the passion you put behind it, will allow us to never again have to speak the words, “There’s nothing we can do,”

said Jim Greenwood President and CEO of BIO today in his Keynote address.  If you missed it, we’ve included a clip.

You can also view the video here.

At the BIO 2008 International Convention Leaders in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology gathered for a leadership summit on Biofuels and Cleantech.

Richard Hamilton, president of Ceres, presented a dynamic case for biotechnology advances sustaining a long-term increase in crop yields on both marginal and primary cropland. Hamilton presented convincing and clear evidence that biotechnology-enhanced plants yield more per acre not just by “percentages but by multiples.”

If farmers the world over used conservation farming techniques and planted crops appropriate for the topography – for example switchgrass in locations with marginal topsoil and corn in locations with the best topsoil – the world would have a surplus of both food and fuel crops in just about every region.

Other speakers addressed the challenge of transforming to a true commercial-scale industry. There have been many biofuel advances in the lab, but scaling up to the level of true production to have an impact on demand is more of a scientific and process challenge than how to create the initial fuel. Most of the companies presenting during today’s first panel, such as Verenium and LS9, expect commercial-scale development sometime around 2011.

Biofuels face the same dilemma as many other great inventions stretching back through the industrial revolution: how do you deliver a great invention for mass consumption? Often those who develop the mass market scalability are celebrated more than the actual inventor.

Many remember Henry Ford for bringing automobile ownership to the masses, but far fewer remember Karl Benz for developing the automobile in the first place. Today’s biofuel companies face the same challenges, and their advancements in scalability and crop yields are on an equally blistering pace of development.

 BIO’s own Dr. Barbara Glenn discusses the role of genetically engineered animal in public health.  

Dr. Glenn discusses how genetically engineered animals will improve human health through production of human medicines and replacement tissues and food, by adding traits that enhance quality and safety of food, and reducing environmental impact by reducing livestock waste production, as well as enhancing animal health and well-being.

They key to advancing this technology?  Tune in and find out.  

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BIO’s Dr. Ted Buckley discusses his research paper, How To Encourage R&D For Neglected Diseases.  He suggests a variety of incentives some of which have been tried in other fields with varying degrees of success including the idea of a prize which would be paid in a lump sum when a product attains regulatory approval.

Read Dr. Buckley’s paper.

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BIO’s Lila Feisee discusses the importance of intellectual property, explaining that patents insure an inventor exclusive rights.  And that for biotech companies they are their most valuable and sometimes their only asset.

Feisee tells BIOtech Now that it can 10 to 15 years to develop at biotech product and cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars.  Patents, she says, assure investors that there will be opportunity to recoup that investment.

To learn more about what BIO’s doing with intellectual property internationally and at the BIO International Convention, tune in.

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Join us as we talk with Dr. Alan Jarvis, vice president for corporate development at Sanofi Pasteur about the importance of partnering at the BIO International Convention.  Dr. Jarvis tells BIOtech Now what his company looks for in a partner.  And why partnering meetings at the BIO International Convention are a must.

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In this edition, I speak with Dr. Paul Hanle, President of the Biotechnology Institute. The Biotechnology Institute’s mission is to engage, excite, and educate the public, particularly young people, about the promise and challenges of biotechnology. Among its programs is the annual, International Conference on Biotechnology Education, which coincides with the BIO International Convention. Dr. Hanle tells our listeners about this unique national conference for teachers, students, and their supporters in the biotechnology industry. We also learn about the sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge, an annual competition for high school students that recognizes outstanding research in biotechnology.

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Today we speak with Joe Panetta, President & CEO of BIOCOM, the largest regional life science association in the world. BIOCOM represents more than 550 member companies in Southern California and will serve as the regional host for the 2008 BIO International Convention in San Diego, June 17-20. Joe discusses breadth and strength of the biotech industry in Southern California and the impact of hosting the international convention.

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