Apr 1 2009
With nearly one-third of all 2009 BIO International Convention attendees representing organizations located outside of the U.S., the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) announced today that May 20th will be International Day at this year's Convention. The 2009 BIO International Convention runs May 18-21 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
“We are pleased to dedicate this day to the many global leaders fighting disease and improving health, feeding growing populations and meeting global demand for renewable sources of energy,” said Robbi Lycett, vice president of Conventions & Conferences at BIO.
More than 300 international public officials will gather at the convention to make vital connections and drive change on key issues that influence global biotech industry growth and innovation. Currently, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom round out the top ten countries in terms of expected attendance for 2009.
“The BIO International Convention offers Canadian industry leaders an important venue to network with the global community of biotech,” said Peter Brenders, president and CEO of BIOTECanada. “As the largest international delegation, Canadians have a lot to offer to the event. Every year we manage to increase our networking and business opportunities.”
“The 2009 BIO International Convention’s Japan Pavilion will feature 16 exhibitors, many of them pioneers in such fields as biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, regenerative medicine, and other cutting-edge technologies, products and services on this key global stage,” said a representative for the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). “We look forward to active business talks with prospective partners.”
The day will consist of numerous International Research & Development presentations from more than 22 countries.
Some International Research & Development Presentations to note include:
- Malaysia: Accelerating the Commercialization of Nanotechnology-based Products & Services;
- Russia: Russia’s Emerging Bio-economy: New Developments in Biofuels, and Bionanotechnology;
- United Kingdom: Lost in Translation: Translational R&D as the Road Map to Market.
Additionally, Scientific American and BIO will release the “Worldview: A Global Biotechnology Perspective” study at 3:30 p.m. During this session, Scientific American will present its findings on the progress of biotech hubs around the globe. The report will enumerate the factors promoting and impeding biotech innovation on a country-by-country basis. Editorial staff from Scientific American and other industry leaders will discuss results of the study highlighting key developments around the globe.
Following the Scientific American session on International Day, global attendees are invited to the International Reception from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., sponsored by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
All international attendees are encouraged to use the International Lounge where they can hold informal discussions, check e-mail, browse the Internet or simply take a break.
Advanced media registration will be available online through May 8, 2009. To register, please visit www.convention.bio.org/media/registration
The BIO International Convention helps to support BIO 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. For more information on the global event for biotechnology, including program and housing information, please visit http://convention.bio.org.