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BIO Announces Plenary Sessions at the 2018 World Congress in July

June 28, 2018

Washington, D.C. (June 28, 2018) – The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today released the list of speakers for plenary programs at the 2018 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology. The programs will feature executives and experts from the biofuels, biobased products, and agricultural industries who will discuss technologies revolutionizing industrial biotechnology, the evolution of biobased consumer products and the future of the biobased economy. The world’s largest conference on industrial biotechnology and partnering event will be held July 16-19, 2018 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

Brent Erickson, Executive Vice President, Industrial and Environmental at BIO, stated, “The plenary sessions at the 2018 BIO World Congress will focus largely on the new innovations that are transforming industrial biotechnology. From advanced biofuels to biobased materials to gene editing, each plenary program will include unique perspectives from experts on how innovation has grown, and will continue to strengthen, the biobased economy.”

The plenary program will kick-off Tuesday, July 17, with welcome remarks from the Honorable James Greenwood, President and Chief Executive Officer, BIO. Plenary sessions at the 2018 BIO World Congress include:

CRISPR and Gene Editing Tools to Advance Industrial Biotechnology

Tuesday, July 17, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Moderator: Roger Wyse, PhD, Managing Partner, Spruce Capital Partners

Speakers:

  • Doane Chilcoat, PhD Director, Applied Science & Technology, Corteva Agriscience™, agriculture division of DowDuPont™
  • Stephen Herrera, Vice President, Strategy and Public Affairs, Evolva
  • John Melo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Amyris, Inc.
  • Sylvia Rowe, President, SR Strategy, LLC

Biobased Materials Redesigning Consumer Markets and Fashion Trends

Sponsored by DuPont Biomaterials

Wednesday, July 18, 8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

Moderator: Jim Lane, Editor and Publisher, The Digest

Speakers:

  • Kimberly Falkenhayn, President, Okabashi Brands
  • Jens Klein, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, AMSilk
  • Christophe Schilling, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Genomatica, Inc.

Industrial Biotech Thought Leaders: Winners of the George Washington Carver and Rosalind Franklin Awards

Sponsored by Intrexon Corporation

Wednesday, July 18, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Moderator: Brent Erickson, Executive Vice President, Industrial and Environmental, BIO

Speakers:

  • Vonnie Estes, Consultant, Estes Consulting (2017 Rosalind Franklin Award recipient)
  • Patrick Gruber, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Gevo, Inc. (2008 George Washington Carver Award recipient)
  • Krysta Harden, Vice President, External Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, Corteva Agriscience™, agriculture division of DowDuPont™ (2018 Rosalind Franklin Award recipient)
  • Sang Yup Lee, PhD, Distinguished Professor and Dean, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (2018 George Washington Carver Award recipient)

Industrial Biotechnology Innovation for Feedstock Production Applications

Co-sponsored by DSM

Thursday, July 19, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Moderator: Paul Zorner, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Locus Agricultural Solutions

Speakers:

  • Richard Broglie, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, Pivot Bio
  • Matt McKnight, Chief Commercial Officer, Ginkgo Bioworks
  • Jenny Rooke, PhD, Founder and Managing Director, Genoa Ventures
  • Shawn Semones, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Concentric

For more information about Plenary Sessions at the 2018 BIO World Congress, please visit https://www.bio.org/events/2018-plenary-program

All programs and sessions at the 2018 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology are open to members of the media. Complimentary media registration is available to editors and reporters working full time for print, broadcast or web publications with valid press credentials.

For more information on the conference, please visit https://www.bio.org/worldcongress. For assistance, please contact worldcongress@bio.org.

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