BIO Hosts Numerous High-Ranking Public Officials at 2010 BIO International Convention
CHICAGO, IL (May 4, 2010) - The Biotechnology Industry Organization is hosting eight U.S. Governors and more than 80 high-ranking international public officials at the 2010 BIO International Convention, which will take place May 3-6 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
"We are pleased that so many prominent members of the Obama Administration as well as numerous U.S. governors and international officials will be joining us for the 2010 BIO International Convention," said Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of BIO. "These leaders recognize that a vibrant biotechnology sector translates into high-wage, high-value jobs, and economic growth for their nation, state or region. And they recognize that our Convention is the global gathering place for biotechnology, allowing them, in a single venue, to meet the men and women and learn about technologies that are helping to heal, fuel and feed the world. ”
Members of the Obama Administration in attendance include:
- David Kappos, Director of the U.S. Patent Office and Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, who will speak at the May 3 intellectual property super session, Leveraging IP to Spur Global Biotechnology Innovation, Investment and Jobs.
- Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General, will deliver the keynote address at the Diversity in Biotechnology Summit on May 3.
- Margaret Hamburg, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner will participate in the FDA Town Hall as well as the panel discussion Bioscience and Biosecurity Priorities of the Obama Administration, both on May 5.
U.S. Governors in attendance include:
- Governor Jennifer Granholm, Michigan
- Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois
- Governor Jim Doyle, Wisconsin
- Governor Martin O’Malley, Maryland
- Governor Steve Beshear, Kentucky
- Governor Deval Patrick, Massachusetts
- Governor David Heineman, Nebraska
- Governor Jay Nixon, Missouri
More than 80 high-level international public officials attending, including:
- The Honourable Anna Bligh, Premier of Queensland, Australia
- Governor David de Kretser, A.C., Governor of Victoria, Australia
- The Honourable Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Australia
- The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, Government of Canada
- The Honourable Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba, Canada
- The Honourable Robert Ghiz, Premier of Prince Edward Island, Canada
- The Honourable Jean Charest, Premier of Quebec, Canada
- The Honourable Anne-Marie Idrac, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, France
- Hon. Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia
- The Honourable Miguel Sebastian, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, Spain
- The Honourable Jin-Fu Chang, Minister of State, the Executive Yuan, Taiwan
- Sir Michael Rawlins, Chairman, National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE), United Kingdom
Currently, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, South Korea, Australia, China, Japan, India and the Netherlands round out the top ten countries in terms of expected attendance for 2010. Public officials from more than 20 countries are expected to attend. There will be 35 official delegations in attendance to promote the benefits of establishing operations within their countries.
Each year, the BIO International Convention draws industry leaders from approximately 48 states and 60 countries. This year, the Convention program will feature more than 125 sessions in 17 tracks. Sessions will address the most pressing issues facing biotech today, including healthcare pricing and access, capital formation and partnering strategies in a tight credit environment, and climate change and biofuels.
In addition, this year’s BIO Exhibition will cover an estimated 180,000 net sq. ft. and host more than 1,700 exhibitors. Product Focus Zones within the BIO Exhibition will include BioProcess, Business Services, Clinical Trials, Contracts, Discovery and the BioPark.
The 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. For more information on the global event for biotechnology, including program, registration, and housing information, please visit http://convention.bio.org.
Upcoming BIO Events
Partnering for Global Health
May 3, 2010
Chicago, IL
McCormick Place Convention Center
BIO International Convention
May 3-6, 2010
Chicago, IL
McCormick Place Convention Center
2010 BIO Human Resources Conference
May 4-7, 2010
Chicago, IL
World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing
June 27-30, 2010
Washington, DC
BIO India
September 21 - 22, 2010
Hyderabad, India
BIO’s Livestock Biotechnology Summit
September 28-30, 2010,
Sioux Falls, SD
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.
For more information:
- Visit http://www.bio.org
- Follow us on Twitter @IAmBiotech
- Join us on LinkedIn/MyBio
- Become a fan at facebook.com/IAmBiotech
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