BIO '99 Attracts Record International Contingent
Washington, D.C., May 6, 1999 - BIO '99 in Seattle, Washington, May 16-20, will feature the largest international contingent ever assembled for the annual conference of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
One-third of the participants in this year's International Biotechnology Meeting & Exhibition, which will be held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, are from more than 30 nations outside the United States. Company executives and government and biotech association officials hail from six continents. Among the largest delegations are those from Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
On Sunday, May 16, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., BIO '99 will feature an International Roundtable with industry, government and national association leaders discussing global biotechnology issues.
The roundtable will begin with a plenary session from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Rooms 602/603/604 of the convention center. Speakers include Anthony Arke, of EuropaBIO; Joyce Groote, of BIOTECanada; Paul Jacobs, of the University of Brussels; and Osamu Chisaki, of the Japan BioIndustry Association.
Other participants include representatives from Hong Kong, Thailand, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, India and Ireland.
Two break-out sessions will follow in Room 606 of the convention center. The first, from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., will feature a discussion on "Cross-Pond Financing: Securing Venture Capital Both In and Outside of the United States." The second will focus on "Biotech Globalization: International Trade Issues Approaching the Year 2000."
BIO's annual meeting is the world's largest exhibition of its kind. A record 5,000 company executives, scientists, investment experts and government officials are expected to attend. The conference will feature more than 125 presentations and more than 500 exhibitors.
BIO GENEius Student Projects & Awards
BIO '99 marks the sixth year for the BIO GENEius awards, honoring middle and high school students whose biotechnology-related science fair projects have been selected for special recognition. Sponsors are BIO, KPMG LLP, and Pasteur Merieux Connaught.
Winners from cities that hosted previous BIO annual meetings will be joined by the first place selection from Seattle's regional contest to receive their awards at lunch Monday, May 17, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., in the ballroom of the convention center. The Seattle winner will be announced from among 14 finalists during the lunch. All student projects will be on display at the conference.
Three winners already were selected from the New York City, San Francisco and Philadelphia regions. They are:
Eric Stern, of Great Neck South High School, Great Neck, N.Y., for a project titled, Alzheimer's Disease and ICAB: Role of Enzymatic Activity in AB-Induced Cytotoxicity.
Moriah K. Nachbaur, of Crystal Springs Uplands School, in Hillsborough, Calif., for a project titled, Anna's Choice II: Do Anna's Hummingbirds Prefer Feeders with Perches?
Joshua Donaldson, of Tri-County Home Educators, in Mount Holly, N.J., for a project titled, The India Rubber Man: Can an Oligonucleotide be Designed to Detect This Mutation?
The 14 Seattle Finalists are:
Jennifer Anderson and Stephanie Steinhorst, of Timberline High School, in Lacey; Shavonne Brewer and Colleen Frakes, of Steilacoom High School; John Bury, Kiri Kreamer and Adelina Miranda, of Washington High School, in Tacoma; Kelly Dorsey, Sadie Gregg and Summer Pennell, of Columbia River High School, in Vancouver; Ashley Haugen, of Sumner High School; Alexis L. Kaushansky, of Lake Washington High School; Yasmin V. Barrios, of Sunnyside High School; and Lindsay Schwartz, of Centralia High School.
A full program of BIO '99 symposia, presentations and events is available on BIO's web site at www.bio.org.
Registration onsite in the Press Room (307/308 at the convention center) for credentialed press is complimentary. Free-lance journalists must submit an assignment letter from a publication. A fully operational press room with computers and Internet access will be available. For more information prior to the conference contact BIO's Charles Craig at (202) 962-9200.
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