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Leading Futurist to Highlight Biotechnology's Industrial Revolution at Florida Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 15, 2004) — Renowned technology forecaster and futurist Daniel Burrus will discuss how biotechnology is revolutionizing industrial processes in ways that will benefit society on many fronts during the first-ever "World Congress on Industrial and Biotechnology and Bioprocessing" at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel in Orlando, Fla., April 21-23.

Burrus, who is the author of the highly acclaimed book TechnoTrends, gained recognition in 1983 when he became the first and only futurist to accurately identify the 20 technologies that would drive two decades of economic change. Burrus will speak during the April 22 luncheon plenary on "Technotrends: How Biotechnology is Creating a New Industrial Revolution."

Although biotechnology is well-known for the important, innovative medicines it has been used to create, it is also being applied in the industrial setting to transform manufacturing, chemical synthesis and energy production in environmentally friendly ways. This "revolution" will have significant impact on consumers now and in the coming decade.

The World Congress, which is being jointly hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the American Chemical Society and the National Agriculture Biotechnology Council, will spotlight biotechnology's new industrial uses and value-chain creation through 34 program sessions on such topics as:

  • Using agricultural crops and biomass to create new consumer goods and produce bioethanol;
  • Fine chemical and pharmaceutical applications;
  • Applying industrial biotech to produce bioplastics from agriculture feedstocks;
  • New developments in marine biotechnology;
  • Biotechnology's positive impact on climate change and environmental emissions;
  • Innovative pulp and paper applications;
  • New chemical production platforms;
  • The nanotech-biotech interface; and
  • National defense applications.

In addition to the presentation by Daniel Burrus, the conference will also feature more than 120 speakers, including Craig Venter, a former lead researcher with the human genome project now with the Institute for Biological Energy Alternatives; Patrick Moore, one of the original founders of Greenpeace now with Greenspirit for a Sustainable Future; Greg Stephanopoulos, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Jens Riese from McKinsey & Co.

This new conference also features business partnering meeting opportunities, special workshops and a dynamic poster session.

For a full program and registration information, go online at http://www.bio.org/worldcongress/. Special room rate discounts at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel for conference attendees apply only until March 29 and early-bird conference registration expires April 7.

BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

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