Scotland Announces New Life Science Leadership and Investments at BIO 2010

CHICAGO, April 29 /PRNewswire/ --  Scotland will showcase the talent and collaborative spirit that has attracted many of the world's leading pharma and biotech companies to its shores at this year's BIO conference, May 3-6 in Chicago.  Heading into the conference, Scottish Enterprise and sector leaders believe Scottish research and the nation's unique integrated industry approach will continue to fuel life sciences growth, particularly in scientific infrastructure, stem cell therapeutics and translational medicine.

"BIO offers Scotland an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate our cluster's wealth of scientific talent and our ability to innovate R&D across business, academic and government sectors, ultimately providing an energised, strategic location for life science investment and commercialisation," said Rhona Allison, Senior Director Life Sciences, Scottish Enterprise. "The ability of our sector leaders to collaborate and solve the many challenges facing today's life sciences industry is essential to helping companies safely and effectively deliver new therapies and products to patients."

At BIO, Scotland will feature:

• Scotland's investment in translational medicine, with Ross McLennan of the Scottish Academic Health Sciences Collaboration (SAHSC) offering insights into how the program, launched last year by the Chief Scientist's Office, enhances Scotland's unique ability to streamline patient-oriented clinical research for pharmaceutical companies through collaboration between NHS Scotland and the nation's universities.
• New Scottish Stem Cell Network CEO Kevin Price discussing Scotland's position as one of Europe's largest and most highly-regarded stem cell research communities and its role as home to groundbreaking regenerative medicine research such as ReNeuron's stem cell trial for stroke patients.
• Leadership in creating a best-in-class environment for global innovation exemplified with representation of twenty-two leading Scottish life sciences organisations with support from SE/SDI.
• Scotland as a location of choice for world-class businesses to collaborate and succeed. The Edinburgh BioQuarter, a major collaboration between Scottish Enterprise, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., University of Edinburgh and the National Health Service is an offering which exemplifies the excellence of research, clinical and commercial opportunities open to a company  locating in Scotland.  Newly appointed CEO Dr. Michael Capaldi and Chair Dr. Simon Best will discuss investments to make the BioQuarter one of the world's leading hubs for commercialization of life sciences research.

"Scotland is an exciting place to be for life sciences companies and innovators at the moment," said Allison.  "The energy, expertise and unprecedented momentum around our research and commercialisation activities are making Scotland and its collaborative approach an attractive home for cutting-edge investment."

Scotland will also present two interactive panel sessions on Monday, May 3. "From Oligos to Genes to Pathways to Genomes: DNA construction for Synthetic Biology" will cover the emerging field of synthetic biology and Scottish Enterprise's 2.4 million pounds sterling ($3.6 million) Genome Segment Assembly (GSA) research program. "Lost in Translation: Translational R&D as the Road Map to Market" will share global best practices in translational R&D.

Scottish Organizations at BIO

Aquapharm Biodiscovery Limited

Biotech Innovation & Future Health Limited

Borders Technology Management

ChimaeraBio

CXR Biosciences Ltd

Equateq

GlycoMar Limited

GT Biologics Limited

Ingenza Ltd

Marks & Clerk LLP

Murgitroyd & Company

Nexxus

NovaBiotics Ltd

Ocutec Limited

Sistemic

Solid Form Solutions Ltd

Talent Scotland

University of Aberdeen – Research & Innovation

University of Dundee – Research & Innovation Services

University of Edinburgh – College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine

University of Edinburgh – Edinburgh Research and Innovation

University of Edinburgh – MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine

For more information on these companies, please visit Scottish Development International.

For further information on Scotland at BIO, please contact Emily Hyman at 617-520-7094 or [email protected].  

SOURCE Scottish Enterprise; Scottish Development International