BIO Commends President-Elect Obama’s Commitment to Funding American Innovation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Monday, December 22, 2008)- Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), today issued the following statement  in response to President-Elect Obama’s appointment of Harvard University professor John Holdren as assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy:

“We applaud President-Elect Obama’s visionary and ambitious plans to invest in one of our country’s core strengths:  innovation.  President-elect Obama’s comments on the importance of scientific discovery and his appointment of Professor John Holdren indicate that the incoming Administration is truly committed to continuing America’s global leadership in technological innovation.  The country that invented the airplane, the jet engine, and the Internet can continue to lead the world in innovation given the proper investment incentives and public policies.

“Biotechnology is our nation’s most recent contribution to technological discovery and stands at the center of our innovation economy, generating high-wage, high-skill, green jobs.  Biotechnology research is the most promising science for developing cures and treatments for some of the world's most intractable diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, HIV/AIDS, and diabetes, and for addressing some of the most pressing agricultural and environmental challenges facing our society today, including the development of renewable sources of clean energy.

“Biotechnology research is vital to the future of this nation’s continued economic expansion, but more importantly, to improving global health and increasing environmental and agricultural sustainability. President-Elect Obama’s expressed support for scientific discovery is a welcome signal that the incoming administration understands our industry’s overall economic impact and supports the critically important research we undertake.”

Upcoming BIO Events

BIO-Asia Partnering Conference 2009
January 19-20, 2009
Tokyo, Japan

BIO CEO & Investor Conference 2009
February 9-10, 2009
New York, New York

BIO-Europe Spring
March 16-18, 2009
Milan, Italy

BIO Windhover 2009
April 13-15, 2009
New York, New York

2009 BIO International Convention
May 18-21, 2009
Atlanta, Ga. 

BioEquity Europe
June 9-10, 2009
Munich, Germany

World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing
July 19-22, 2009
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  

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.

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