The 2010 BIO International Convention isn't just about biotechnology-derived drugs and vaccines. The biotechnology industry as a whole seeks to address current global needs in other areas as well in light of diminishing resources and other environmental concerns. Biofuels development is entering its second wave. Agricultural researchers are finding ways to improve global access to both food and energy. And health-care policy is taking ethics and environmental sustainability into account while looking for new models that can help companies succeed in a changing global economic marketplace — models that could help them bring more and better vaccines/therapies to a wider population than ever before.

There is no one single solution for advanced biofuels to become a sustainable energy resource — just as biofuels alone will not solve the energy crisis. Biotech crops could play a crucial role in the coming “bioeconomy,” in which both carbon and water will face constraints. Drought-resistance, increased yield, and biosequestration of climate gasses are all potential benefits. But the companies involved must understand what policy and other legal barriers will mean to them. Just as in the pharmaceutical or “red” side of biotechnology, small idea-rich companies and big corporations with pipelines to fill need each other to advance these ambitious projects. Partnering may be key to an ag-biotech renaissance.

BPI Extra

Find out about these topics and more on the BioProcess International website. At www.bioprocessintl.com/bpiextra, you'll find interviews with

• Mark Finkelstein (vice president of biosciences for Luca Technologies), organizer of the “Bioenergy from Buried Hydrocarbons” session

• Gary Rudgers (senior scientist at Dow AgroSciences), organizer of “Next Generation Technologies: Current State and Future Outlook”

• Amanda Rinehart (marketing communications manager for Pioneer Hi-Bred), organizer of “Healthy Traits: They're Finally Here”

• Alan Scarborough (industry relations manager at Bayer CropScience), organizer of “Wheat, Don't Pass Me By: Opportunities for Biotech Solutions for Wheat”

• Nikolas Burlew (Regulus Pharmaceutical Consulting), organizer of the “Potential Impact of Healthcare Reform on Pipeline Development for Pharmaceutical, Biologic and Device Companies” session

• Paul Marshall (SVP, operations, at Amylin Pharmaceuticals), organizer of “Operational Excellence and Sustainability in a Competitive World”

• Jennifer Miller (executive director of Bioethics International), organizer of “Ethics and Biopharmaceutical R&D: Who Should Be Responsible for Tomorrow's Drugs?”

• Nancy Levy (managing partner of Biohealth Management), organizer of “Thinking Beyond the Horizon: Tearing Down Geographic Borders to Forge New Alliances Between Biotech Clusters.”

POLICY CONVENTION SESSIONS
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
8:00–9:00 AM
How Health Care and Patent Reform May Affect Pipeline Development for Drugs, Biologics and Devices
9:30–10:30 AM
One Year Later: Comparative Effectiveness Research and the Government Role
2:00–3:30 PM
Bioethics: Synonymous With Good Business
4:00–5:30 PM
Commercializing Stem Cell-Based Therapies: Meeting FDA and Other Requirements

Wednesday, 5 May 2010
8:00–9:30 AM
“Is The Price Is Right?” and Other Mysteries of Government Pricing Revealed
2:00–3:30 PM
Globalize the Evidence, Localize the Decisions: Assessing the Value of Innovation and Improving Access to Novel Drugs
4:00–5:30 PM
The 111th Congress: What Happened in the First Session and What's to Come

Thursday, 6 May 2010
8:00–9:30 AM
Academia and Industry Interactions: The Role of Patents in Attracting Industry Interest in This Economy

INDUSTRIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SESSIONS AT THE CONVENTION
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
8:00–9:00 AM
Operational Excellence and Sustainability in a Competitive World
9:30–10:30 AM
Industrial Biotechnology for Higher-Value-Added Products
2:00–3:30 PM
The Critical Path to Advanced Biofuel Commercialization
4:00–5:30 PM
From Fields to Wheels: Integrated Approaches to Solve Biofuels Biggest Questions

Wednesday, 5 May 2010
8:00–9:30 AM
Bioenergy From Buried Hydrocarbons
2:00–3:30 PM
Developing Economically and Environmentally Sustainable Biomass Supply Chains
4:00–5:30 PM
The Vision of Industrial Biotechnology: Processes Based on CO, CO₂ and H₂

Thursday, 6 May 2010
8:00–9:30 AM
Crop Feedstocks for Biofuels: How Are We Doing?