Bio-Fuels & Nano-Bio: Coming Soon to a Lab Near You
9:45am – 11:00am

In this session, industry practitioners and experts who have been involved in planning and design of bio-fuels and nano-biotech facilities will take a look at how these two emerging life sciences areas will impact biotechnology R&D in the years to come. This panel will provide a brief overview of each emerging science and engage in a comprehensive discussion of what it means from a facilities planning perspective to incorporate bio-fuels and nano-biotech research in the biotech environment.

Panel Moderator:

Howard Weiss
Principal, Perkins+Will

Panel Speakers:

Neal Gutterson
Chief Executive Officer, Mendel Biotechnology

Joseph Stetter, PhD
Director, MicroSystems Innovation Center, SRI International

John Weinman
Principal, Perkins+Will

Going Green: Profiles of Sustainable Initiatives
11:15am – 12:30pm

Total cost of ownership, Energy Star, sustainability, environmental footprint, resource conservation, triple bottom line - these buzz words are in the news regularly. Businesses are increasingly aware that shareholders want to know about environmental impacts of company operations. Some companies are including sections on environmental responsibility in annual reports. How does a company get started looking at the environmental impact of operations? Should the leadership come from facilities? What are the priorities? You’ll hear from three companies who are venturing into the world of sustainable facility operations. Each company is approaching these issues from a unique starting place and in ways consistent with their corporate culture. Hear their experiences and their recommendations for others who would like to get started.

Panel Moderator:

Adele Dow
Facility Manager, University of California San Francisco

Panel Speakers:

Elena Powers
Senior Manager, Energy Program, Genentech, Inc.

Alex Prasad
Director, Facilities Management, Novo Nordisk Delivery Technologies, Inc.

Keith Sonberg
Director, Site Operations, Roche, Palo Alto

2007 Bay Area Biotechnology Real Estate Survey
1:45pm – 3:00pm

This session will present the results of BayBio’s 2007 Real Estate Survey which will build upon two years of research. This survey will yield information on the cost of laboratory space throughout the Bay Area market; from its acquisition through lease or purchase, and the capital outlays needed to prepare it for operations. In addition, this survey will gather comprehensive information on how biotechnology companies rank their communities, sites and their existing facilities and how they project the industry’s future demand for space. This information will be correlated against company size and classification to provide specific data on individual market sectors.

Panel Speakers:

Douglas Davis, AIA
Architect, Senior Project Manager, HiTech CMD

Brad Werner
Senior Vice President, CB Richard Ellis

Biotech Basics: Stem Cells
3:15pm – 4:30pm

Stem cells are the cells from which all other cells are derived. Because of their ability to renew themselves indefinitely and their immense potential to develop into other cells, they are seen as an important future therapy for degenerative diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s, heart disease, cancer and many others. In fact, stem cell therapies in the form of bone marrow transplants for leukemia have been practiced for over 30 years. Stem cell biology is the focus of intensive research efforts, as well as ethical debate. We will discuss the basics of stem cell biology, explaining the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells, how they might be used to treat disease and the challenges that scientists and clinicians face. We will also talk about recent developments in stem cell research, including the exciting reports published this June showing that ordinary skin cells may be reprogrammed to have the same regenerative properties as embryonic stem cells.

Panel Speakers:

Cathleen Davies, MS
President, Biotech Primer, Inc.