February Monthly Luncheon

Developing New Programs for Inspiring K-12 Students about the Future of BIO IT

Join the BIO IT Coalition as we investigate how to develop curriculum about Bio-IT in k-12 classrooms. This panel/interactive discussion will address the need for a more comprehensive, systems approach to Science, Math and Technology education.  Attendees from industry will address the need for cross-trained Bio-IT workers at every level of the work force.  University representatives will discuss the readiness of the universities to cross-train their students and what preparation high school students need for applying to those programs.  K-12 educators will speak about how secondary schools can add an integrated, systems approach to their programs.  We will consider societal needs and challenges as well as available resources.

At the meeting, a working body will be formed to explore the benefits of systems approaches in secondary education and to develop programs and units of instruction to support the integration of technology, science and math.

Please join us on Wednesday February 22nd, at the Offices of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology at Alexandria, VA 22312 for our next Monthly Meeting.  Note special time.  This meeting will start at 11 am and end at 2 pm.

Article of Interest!!!

Is America Flunking Science?

Time Magazine, February 13, 2006 ---"Is America Flunking Science" addresses the decline of science and technology in the United States. The U S currently leads the world in science and innovation.  However, the article highlights three concerns that explain the country's potential to quickly fall behind.

• Research and development funding cuts made by the Federal Government
• Corporations are placing greater focus on short term products in order to gain quick profits, and have stopped funding research.  The lack of money is deterring science majors from pursuing higher education and careers in science
• A decline in the quality of math and science education in elementary and high schools, leading to a decrease in students majoring in these fields.

President Bush in his State of the Union speech recently addressed global competition in scientific research. He announced a plan called the "American Competitiveness Initiative."  This plan will double federal funding for research, make the tax credit permanent, and train 70,000 more high school math and science teachers.

2006 Annual Conference Update

Using Advanced Information Technologies to Develop Personalized Medicine/Healthcare

In addition to our Keynote speakers Lance Liotta, MD, Ph.D., and Emanuel Petricoin, Ph.D., two new major presentations have been added.  The luncheon address "An Industry Perspective of Personalized Medicine" will be given by Kevin Davies, Ph. D., Executive Editor, Bio-IT World.  To conclude the afternoon session, our capstone speaker, Anna Barker, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Strategic Scientific Initiatives, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, will present "The Cancer Genome Atlas and The Future of Personalized Medicine."

The May 5th program at the GMU Prince William Campus, Manassas, VA

The morning program will begin with a lecture on "Effective Ways to Communicate or Explain Science to Lay Audiences" presented by Katherine E. Rowan, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Chair and Carl Botan Ph.D., Professor, Department of Communication, George Mason University.  This will be followed by a tour of the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine led by Drs. Liotta and Petricoin.  The day will conclude with a box lunch and networking session. 

Volunteers Needed to Meet World Class Scientists and Others

The BIO IT Coalition is looking for volunteers to help staff and run its May 4th & 5th Conference.  This is an excellent opportunity to meet and speak with some of the leading minds in science and research today. Volunteers will have the opportunity to attend the conference and reception free of charge and will also have opportunities to hand out their respective resumes to people from various industries who are attending the event. Specific duties include, but are not limited to: helping at the registration desk, setting up the night before and day of the event, assisting attendees of the conference on the floor, personal assist to the respective speakers, and making sure the flow of the conference proceeds efficiently and in a timely manner. For more information, please contact John Carpenter at 704-477-0941 or elongrad2004@yahoo.com.

BIO IT Coalition Best Practices Awards - May 4, 2006

Get your nominations in soon!  Time is running out. 

Help cutting edge technologies:

• Gain Recognition
• Expand Awareness
• Build Interest in Funding
• Cultivate Alliances in the BIO IT Field

The BIO IT Coalition Best Practices of the Year Awards recognize individuals and companies for information technology/life science contributions that result in product innovation, growth opportunity, leadership, and increased funding for BIO IT industry endeavors.  Make a difference by submitting your nominations for one or more of our five categories: Business Catalyst, Company, Entrepreneur, Innovation, and Visionary of the Year.

Remember the 2005 winners?

Welcome to the Bio Science Industry of Western Switzerland

The January Monthly Luncheon informed us about the Business Climate in Western Switzerland and about the advantages and assets of the area

The Swiss Embassy hosted our January 18 Lunch Meeting where "An Overview of Bio IT Products and the Business of Biotech in Switzerland" was presented by Douglas Ebert, Director, Development Economic Western Switzerland.

Mr. Ebert extolled the virtues of the environment, both physical and economic, for scientific companies wishing to relocate to Switzerland. Key incentives included the region's international, highly educated workforce, Swiss tax laws which are lower than many other countries, and the region's long history of technological advancement and support for tech industries. In addition, Switzerland was promoted for being less governmentally restrictive than its EU neighbors while offering proximity to the markets in the rest of Europe along with North Africa and Asia. Switzerland offers a conscientious, hard working, energetic, creative, and industrious workforce, along with a strong business climate, cultural diversity, and exciting scenery.

Upcoming Area Events of Interest

• Thursday Evening - February 23, 2006, Fairfax VA.  The GMU Bioscience Management Program Distinguished Speaker Series.  "Recent Advances in Cancer Biology" presented by Dr. Shiv Srivastava, Co-Director and Scientific Director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research and Professor, Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
• Wednesday Evening - March 29, 2006, Washington, DC.  The BioMedTech Committee of the Northern Virginia Technology Council presents the "The Fifth Annual Human Genome Party."
  

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