Atlanta

Patient advocacy groups have many different roles.  They are educators, they provide a support system for individuals and families of people living with illness, they lobby for increased research, and are increasingly providing funding to biotech companies to encourage further research and development of promising, and potentially life-saving therapies.  At the 2009 BIO International Convention, we met with patients  and patient advocates to learn more about how advocacy groups are working together with biotech researchers to promote innovative research and creation of therapies that may one d

I arrived Thursday to begin the pre-conference media interviews and to speak at some events that precede the convention like the Association of University Research Parks, the Council of State Bioscience Associations and the Biotechnology Institute. The Institute presented its teacher of the Year award and honors the BioGenius students. It's always inspiring to meet the next generation of biotech researchers.

Early this morning I had the honor of doing a live interview on the FOX Business show with former UN Ambassador and former Atlanta Mayor, Andrew Young.

BIOtech Now interviews Stephanie Adams, executive director of Southeast BIO. She discusses the growth of the biotechnology sector in the Southeast, the upcoming 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta, and the SE BIOtech Connect database of the more than 1,200 life sciences companies and research institutions in the Southeast.

Download or listen to the program.

Continuing our series on the state of biotech state-by-state, BIOTech Now interviews Samuel M. Taylor, President of the North Carolina Bioscienes Organization (NCBIO) about the life sciences sector in North Carolina. He discusses the strong research base and range of biotech companies active in the state.

Next month, biotechnology leaders from around the world will gather in San Diego, California for the 2008 BIO International Convention, June 17-20. But some of those attending will have Georgia on their mind as they look ahead to the 2009 convention, to be held for the first time in Atlanta, Georgia. At the top of that list is Charles Craig, President of Georgia Bio.