RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2004-- Systems Biology Expert Leroy Hood, Industry Architect Steve Burrill, and Duke University Health System CEO Ralph Snyderman Highlight Event
The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) today announced three biotechnology pioneers - Dr. Leroy Hood, president of the Seattle-based Institute for Systems Biology; G. Steven Burrill, CEO and founder of San Francisco-based Burrill & Company; and Dr. Ralph Snyderman, chancellor for Health Affairs at Duke University and president and CEO of Duke University Health System - as featured speakers at Biotech 2004.
Biotech 2004: "Fusing Science, Technology and Industry Leadership," scheduled for May 26-27 at the RTP's Sheraton Imperial Hotel, will celebrate North Carolina's thriving life science industry. CED is presenting the 13th annual Biotech conference in partnership with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
"These three speakers will address critically important issues facing the life science industry and its pursuit to transform leading-edge technologies into innovative products for both revenue production and to benefit human kind," said Joel Marcus, CEO of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., and co-chair of Biotech 2004.
More information on the featured speakers at Biotech 2004:
-- Dr. Leroy Hood is one of the world's leading scientists in molecular biotechnology and genomics. Early in his professional career at the California Institute of Technology, Dr. Hood and his colleagues pioneered four instruments--the DNA gene sequencer and synthesizer, and the protein synthesizer and sequence--which comprise the technological foundation for contemporary molecular biology. One of these instruments has also revolutionized genomics by allowing the rapid automated sequencing of DNA. In 2000, Dr. Hood co-founded the Seattle-based Institute for Systems Biology to pioneer systems approaches to biology and medicine. He has also played a role in founding numerous biotechnology companies, including Amgen, Applied Biosystems, Systemix, Darwin and Rosetta. During his afternoon speech at Biotech 2004 on May 26, Dr. Hood will address systems biology and the future of personalized medicine.
-- Steve Burrill, known for his insightful forecasts of the life science industry, received rave reviews after speaking at last year's Biotech 2003. He will return to Biotech 2004 as a featured speaker on May 26. Burrill is CEO of Burrill & Company, a San Francisco-based life sciences merchant bank. In 2002, Burrill was recognized as the biotech investment visionary by the prestigious Scientific American magazine (The Scientific American 50). He currently serves on 6 Boards of Directors including DepoMed (Amex: DMI), Galapagos Genomics, Targacept, and Third Wave Technologies (NASDAQ: TWTI), and is Chairman of the Boards of Paradigm Genetics (NASDAQ: PDGM) and Pyxis Genomics. Prior to founding Burrill & Company in 1994, he spent 28 years with Ernst & Young, directing and coordinating the firm's services to clients in the biotechnology/life sciences/high technology/manufacturing industries worldwide.
-- Dr. Ralph Snyderman has overseen the development of the Duke University Health System, one of the few fully integrated academic health systems in the country. He is internationally recognized for his contributions in inflammation research. After rising through the medical ranks at Duke University early in his career, Dr. Snyderman left Duke in 1987 to join Genentech, Inc., a biomedical technology firm in San Francisco, as vice president for medical research and development. A year later, he was promoted to senior vice president. While at Genentech, he led the development and licensing of several novel therapeutics and supervised 300 staff members working in pharmacology, clinical research and regulatory affairs. Dr. Snyderman will speak during lunch on May 27 at Biotech 2004.
In addition to comments from industry leaders, Biotech 2004 will also feature concurrent panel sessions during the conference's second day on May 27. Visit www.cednc.org/biotech for additional details on registering to attend or sponsor Biotech 2004. Interested sponsors must sign up before Feb. 15 to be included in the conference brochure.
About CED: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and monthly programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2004, is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 3,500 members representing 1,000 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. www.cednc.org
About the North Carolina Biotechnology Center: The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation funded primarily by the state's General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business and education statewide. www.ncbiotech.org
About the North Carolina Biosciences Organization: NCBIO is a trade organization promoting the development of the biosciences industry in North Carolina. NCBIO provides cost-effective, organized legislative and advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry at the state and federal levels.
About the Biotechnology Industry Organization: The Biotechnology 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 healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. www.bio.org.
Contacts
CED Robert Albright, 919-549-7500 ext. 123 ralbright@cednc.org
