2011 TWAS-ROESEAP Symposium on Industrial Biotechnology in Beijing

A symposium on industrial biotechnology with a focus on global environmental and fuel crisis was a timely initiative undertaken by the Third World Academy of Science (TWAS)-ROESEAP. This symposium, organized by TWAS and Chinese Academy of Sciences discussed various issues ranging from biofuel, to industrial enzymes, bioplastics, biomass and feedstock. Presentations were focused on five major areas: (1) biorefinery of fuels and chemicals; (2) production of bulk fermentation products; (3) biocatalysis and biotransformation; (4) development of novel bio-based processes; and (5) new emerging disciplines.

The symposium created an ideal ambience for discussion and potential collaboration with a balance of senior and young scientists presenting their research work. Scientists from India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, Mongolia, Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Chile converged to seize the opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, promote international collaboration to accelerate the commercialization of new products or new technologies. TWAS-ROSEAP also took this opportunity to motivate young scientists by awarding them. The young scientist awardees were: Dr. Shuang Li (South China University of Technology) who presented on "Metabolic Engineering of Thermoanaerobacterium to simultaneously produce hydrogen and ethanol at high yields; Dr. F.M. Aminuzzaman (Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University) who presented on "Biological control potentiality of Paecilomyces lilacinus newly recorded from Bangladesh; and Ms. Z.A. Guiamal (University of the Philippines Diliman) who presented on "Identification of genetic markers to distinguish wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae".

Mahaletchumy Arujanan from th Malaysian Biotechnology Information Center (MABIC) was present at the symposium to receive the 2010 TWAS Regional Prize for Public Understanding of Science for East & Southeast Asia and the Pacific Region, an award she shared with Quenna Lee of the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines.

For more details about the symposium email maha@bic.org.my