March 28 Webinar: Emerging Trends in Academic & Industry Collaboration

Novel collaborations between industry and academia are driving the commercialization of the next generation of biomedical cures. BIO One-on-One Partnering^TM, BIO Executive Training Programs, Biotechnology Entrepreneurship Boot Camp, and technology transfer programming at BIO 2018 will play a pivotal role in advancing industry-university relationships.

As the world's largest biotechnology event, BIO provides several specialized opportunities for the academic and tech transfer community, plus significant registration discounts. The BIO International Convention attracts 16,000+ of the most influential biotech and pharma players from 74 countries, offering powerful business partnering, networking and education that go far beyond professional development.

The academic and tech transfer panelists will be Stephen J. Sasalka, CEO of AUTM, Hassan Naqvi, Associate Director of Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, and Sunita Malhotra, Director of Academics AbbVie. Learn about the exciting opportunities for students interested in attending #BIO2018, and how collaborations between industry and academia drive innovation and advance new therapies.

The webinar will take place at 2 pm EST/11 am PST on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Reserve your spot or request a recording here.

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National Women's History Month: Rosalind Franklin Nomination Opens

Each March, the U.S. celebrates National Women's History Month, recognizing the great contributions women have made to our nation. It's a fitting time to announce that BIO is now accepting nominations for the 2018 Rosalind Franklin Award. Every year at the BIO World Congress, BIO honors women who've made significant contributions to the field of industrial biotechnology and the advancement of the biobased economy by presenting the Rosalind Franklin Award in Industrial Biotechnology and Agriculture.

While sometimes overlooked, Rosalind Franklin is credited with discovering the structure of DNA. In 1952, while a research associate at King's College in London, Franklin conceived and captured Photograph 51 of the "B" form of DNA. The photograph was acquired through 100 hours of X-ray exposure from a machine Dr. Franklin herself refined. The discovery was an important advance in modern biology and helped establish the field of biotechnology. Without Franklin's critical discovery, the biotechnology industry would not be what it is today.

"Rosalind Franklin's contribution to the discovery of DNA's structure has been vital to the advancement of the field of biotechnology, but her legacy has often been overlooked," said Brent Erickson, Executive Vice President, Industrial and Environmental at BIO. "In presenting this award we hope to not only honor Rosalind Franklin's legacy but also honor and inspire the women working in the field of industrial biotechnology today."

Nominations for the 2018 Rosalind Franklin Award will be open throughout much of National Women's History Month, closing on March 28. The Award is sponsored by the Rosalind Franklin Society whose goal is to support and showcase the careers of eminent women in science.

Past recipients of the Rosalind Franklin Award include:

• Vonnie Estes, Independent Consultant, in 2017
• Anna Rath, President and CEO of NexSteppe, in 2016
• Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, in 2015
• Dr. Debbie Yavers, Director of Expression Technology, Genomics and Bioinformatics at Novozymes, in 2014

To submit a nominee, or for more information, click here. Also, don't forget to register for the 2018 World Congress at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from July 16-19.

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BIO at 25 – A View of the Past; a Glimpse into the Future

In recognition of BIO's 25^th anniversary, BIO CEO and President, Jim Greenwood sat down with two early champions to talk about what triggered the formation of the organization and what we can learn from the past to help shape the future. That future is envisioned by BIO's current chair, Dr. John Maraganore in a third video.

First up is Fred Frank, the first life sciences specialist in investment banking. In a career spanning nearly 60 years, Frank served as the lead underwriter in more than 125 initial public offerings. He negotiated more than 75 mergers and acquisitions, including some of the largest and most important transactions in the history of biotechnology.

Next Greenwood looks back to 1993-the year BIO was established-with Robert Beckman, one of the founding members.  Beckman is currently a managing partner at The Channel Group which provides management consulting services to life sciences companies.

After talking about where BIO came from, Greenwood talked about where we are going with Dr. John Maragaore, BIO's current chair and CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Maraganore has led a career pursuing therapies to address unmet medical needs. At Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Maraganore is helping lead the development of RNAi therapeutics which aim to address genetic medicines, cardio-metabolic diseases and hepatic infectious diseases.

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Bill Gates Calls GMOs 'Perfectly Healthy' – And Scientists Say He's Right

Bill Gates has a message for those advocating against genetically modified organisms: I'm disappointed.

Business Insider science correspondent Erin Brodwin explains:

In a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" post on Tuesday, Gates said that not only does he view genetically modified foods as "perfectly healthy," but that he sees them as a promising tool in a wider array of resources in the fight to reduce world hunger.

"GMO foods are perfectly healthy and the technique has the possibility to reduce starvation and malnutrition when it is reviewed in the right way," Gates wrote. "I don't stay away from non-GMO foods but it is disappointing that people view it as better."

Gates' view may strike some as controversial, as many people think that genetically modified foods are dangerous.

In recent years, companies have submitted more than 43,000 products to the Non-GMO Project, an organization that certifies products that don't contain genetically modified ingredients. And sales of such products are skyrocketing – today, they represent more than $22 billion in yearly sales, the organization says.

But Gates' stance is in line with that of most scientists who study the topic.

Organizations like the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the European Commission have publicly said genetically modified foods are safe to eat. A large 2013 study on GMOs found no "significant hazards directly connected with the use of genetically engineered crops."

And nearly all the food we eat today has been genetically modified in some way. Dozens of crops, from corn to watermelon, have been selectively bred for thousands of years to give us the traits we find desirable, like large amounts of sweet, edible flesh, or small seeds.

And many other products – some of them life-saving – might not exist without genetically modified ingredients.

Insulin, the medication that people with diabetes depend on to regulate their blood sugar, is made with such ingredients, while the cotton used to make the shirt you're wearing was most likely genetically modified.

Several experts say the "GMO" label does a disservice to the products made with genetically modified ingredients. The process of genetic modification is a breeding method, much like other recent advances in agriculture.

"What are we labeling here, DNA?" Alison Van Eenennaam, a professor of animal genomics at the University of California at Davis, recently told Business Insider. "There's DNA in everything, so good luck with that."