ECB11: Building Bridges between Biosciences and Bioengineering
24 August 2003 - 29 August 2003
The 11th European Congress on Biotechnology is organised by the Swiss Coordination Committee for Biotechnology of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences in collaboration with the Convention Center Basel, on behalf of the Swiss member societies of the European Federation of Biotechnology.
Switzerland was selected as a venue amongst other reasons in order to commemorate the First European Congress on Biotechnology which was held in 1978 in Interlaken, Switzerland. Since the European Federation of Biotechnology was founded during this event, the 11th European Congress on Biotechnology marks the 25th anniversary of the Federation.
Since those early days biotechnology has undergone a spectacular development and is now interacting with many disciplines of scientific research, has created unprecedented economic and business opportunities, and is affecting all of us in our daily life. Biotechnology itself branched out into a wide variety of scientific and technological fields, encompassing applied genomics, functional proteomics and metabolomics, microbial physiology, biocatalysis, nano-biotechnology, biochemical engineering and health, agricultural, environmental, medical and food biotechnology, to mention only some of them. This development was reflected in the European Congresses on Biotechnology which have been organised since Interlaken in nine different European countries, but also in the fact that the European Federation of Biotechnology meanwhile has sections in all those fields which regularly run their own specialised symposia.
Meanwhile the intensive specialisation threatens to hamper easy communication amongst biotechnologists of different fields and therefore to slow down collaboration and progress. Further gaps have become apparent such as that between biotechnology as a high-tech endeavour and certain parts of our society, or that between biotechnology in highly industrialised countries and the biotechnology-based needs of developing countries.
In an effort to contribute to a future prosperous development of biotechnology and to enhance the realisation of the enormous potential biotechnology holds for society at large, the EFB and the Swiss organisers of ECB11 invite the European biotechnology community to a congress dedicated to the most recent developments and achievements in modern biotechnology while aiming at bridging the gaps and promoting the open dialogue between
*molecular and engineering biosciences ,*academia and industry ,*bioscience and society ,*industrialised and developing worlds
The fact that in the year 2003 the Congress returns to its origin to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the European Federation of Biotechnology highlights the role Switzerland plays in biotechnology, both 25 years ago and today. Basel as the home of many thriving chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological multinational companies as well as of young and rapidly growing specialised biotechnology industries is an ideal venue for the Congress. In organising the 11th European Congress on Biotechnology in Switzerland, we also intend to demonstrate the achievements, the importance, and the future potential of Swiss biotechnology within our country and for Europe and the world as a whole.
On behalf of the Swiss Coordination Committee for Biotechnology (SKB)
Urs von Stockar,(Chair Organising Committee)
Peter Philippsen ,(Co-chair Scientific Committee)
Oreste Ghisalba,(Co-chair Scientific Committee),
Switzerland was selected as a venue amongst other reasons in order to commemorate the First European Congress on Biotechnology which was held in 1978 in Interlaken, Switzerland. Since the European Federation of Biotechnology was founded during this event, the 11th European Congress on Biotechnology marks the 25th anniversary of the Federation.
Since those early days biotechnology has undergone a spectacular development and is now interacting with many disciplines of scientific research, has created unprecedented economic and business opportunities, and is affecting all of us in our daily life. Biotechnology itself branched out into a wide variety of scientific and technological fields, encompassing applied genomics, functional proteomics and metabolomics, microbial physiology, biocatalysis, nano-biotechnology, biochemical engineering and health, agricultural, environmental, medical and food biotechnology, to mention only some of them. This development was reflected in the European Congresses on Biotechnology which have been organised since Interlaken in nine different European countries, but also in the fact that the European Federation of Biotechnology meanwhile has sections in all those fields which regularly run their own specialised symposia.
Meanwhile the intensive specialisation threatens to hamper easy communication amongst biotechnologists of different fields and therefore to slow down collaboration and progress. Further gaps have become apparent such as that between biotechnology as a high-tech endeavour and certain parts of our society, or that between biotechnology in highly industrialised countries and the biotechnology-based needs of developing countries.
In an effort to contribute to a future prosperous development of biotechnology and to enhance the realisation of the enormous potential biotechnology holds for society at large, the EFB and the Swiss organisers of ECB11 invite the European biotechnology community to a congress dedicated to the most recent developments and achievements in modern biotechnology while aiming at bridging the gaps and promoting the open dialogue between
*molecular and engineering biosciences ,*academia and industry ,*bioscience and society ,*industrialised and developing worlds
The fact that in the year 2003 the Congress returns to its origin to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the European Federation of Biotechnology highlights the role Switzerland plays in biotechnology, both 25 years ago and today. Basel as the home of many thriving chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological multinational companies as well as of young and rapidly growing specialised biotechnology industries is an ideal venue for the Congress. In organising the 11th European Congress on Biotechnology in Switzerland, we also intend to demonstrate the achievements, the importance, and the future potential of Swiss biotechnology within our country and for Europe and the world as a whole.
On behalf of the Swiss Coordination Committee for Biotechnology (SKB)
Urs von Stockar,(Chair Organising Committee)
Peter Philippsen ,(Co-chair Scientific Committee)
Oreste Ghisalba,(Co-chair Scientific Committee),