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Industrial Biotech Leaders Available for Press Interviews

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 9, 2006) -- The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is hosting the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy Jan. 11-13, 2006 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa in Honolulu. Following the summit’s plenary lunch on Thursday Jan. 12, at 1:45 p.m. key plenary speakers will hold a press availability event in the BIO Press Room. The four speakers who will be available are:

· Hon. James Greenwood, president and CEO of BIO;

· Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis, a California-based industrial biotechnology company;

· Patrick Moore, founder, Greenspirit Strategies, and co-founder, Greenpeace;

· Roger Wyse, Managing Director, Burrill and Company.

Biographies of these speakers and program information are available on the conference website at http://www.bio.org/pacrim/speakers/.

Other plenary speakers at the summit include:

· Hon. James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr., Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii;

· Graeme Bullock, Adjunct Professor, Center for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology;

· Maurice Kaya, CTO, Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism;

· Nobuyuki Kawashima, Director, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.;

· Weng Yunxuan, Beijing Technology & Business University;

The summit will also feature panel presentations on bio-energy, bio-based products, industrial biotechnology for drug discovery and production, and novel applications of marine biotechnology and nanotechnology. Program highlights from the four breakout session tracks include:

BIOENERGY PRODUCTION

Enzymes Unlock Host of New Ethanol Sources
Friday, Jan. 13, 9:00 a.m.

Demand for ethanol, the clean-burning alternative to gasoline, grew dramatically in 2005 as petroleum prices surpassed $60 a barrel. Now, new breakthroughs in enzyme technology are poised to take advantage of abundant, otherwise unused sources of biomass, such as wheat/rice straw and sugarcane bagasse, that could dramatically increase production.

Algae May Hold Key to Hydrogen Economy
Friday, Jan. 13, 2:00 p.m.

Researchers from Princeton University and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory report important advances in the use of algae and other marine organisms to produce pollution-free hydrogen fuel.

MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOPROSPECTING

The New Mother Lode– Bioprospecting Boon Delivers Multitude of Microbes
Thursday, Jan. 12, 10:45 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

New biotechnology tools are revolutionizing the search for valuable microscopic life forms. Newly discovered microbes are finding applications in medicine, industry, and environmental protection. Scientists discuss the latest discoveries from Hawaii’s coral reefs to the mountains of the Republic of Georgia.

Sea Creatures Soak Up CO2 from Power Plant Smokestacks
Friday, Jan. 13, 9:00 a.m.

Miguel Olaizola of Hawaii-based Mera Pharmaceuticals presents exciting research on the use of algae and other marine microbes to capture and sequester CO2 and other polluting gases right in the smokestack.

NOVEL APPLICATIONS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

It’s a Matter of Taste
Thursday, Jan. 12, 9:00 a.m.

Recent research suggests that appeasing human taste receptors may be essential to a satisfying meal. La Jolla, California-based Senomyx is using biotech tools and recent discoveries in taste receptors to develop revolutionary flavor ingredients.

Coming Soon to an iPod Near You: Proteins?
Friday, Jan. 13, 9:00 a.m.

Portable music mavens may be fawning over the latest nano-iPod release, but a new breakthrough in biotechnology may soon take electronics truly nano. Scientists have found a way to train proteins to assemble electronic circuitry at scales that could one day make the Nano seem Mondo.

Soft Coral Yields a Wound-Healing Wonder
Friday, Jan. 13, 3:45 p.m.

Scientists have shown that a unique class of drugs derived from ocean coral can substantially improve tissue repair and healing for severe burn victims. Terosin Group’s Robert Jacobs explains how pseudopterosin a-methyl ether works its wonders.

BIOBASED PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS

Tomorrow’s Plastics Factory: Prairie Grass?
Thursday, Jan. 12, 10:45 a.m.

Natural “bio-based” plastics, made from corn, grasses or other agricultural sources instead of petroleum, hold tremendous promise as an alternative to fossil fuels. A new partnership between energy giant BP and biobased materials innovator Metabolix seeks to produce the plastics not in a factory, but within the plants themselves.

Beyond Biodiesel: Palm, Other Oilseeds Take on Petroleum Outside the Gas Tank
Friday, Jan. 13, 2:00 p.m.

Biodiesel, a plant-based fuel made from soybeans and other oilseeds, received tremendous attention in 2005 as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum. Now, thanks to new biotech tools, a whole new range of renewable products from oilseeds is emerging.

Onsite registration is available for the media. All media must display a conference badge before entering the press room. For the full conference program see http://www.bio.org/pacrim/.

BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

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