At a time when the Asian business economy has just awakened with a biotech bang, entrepreneurial minds are gathering as much as skills and abilities to analyse the risk and benefit of the emerging sector. The reason behind the enormous success of an event like Bangalore Bio, which is considered to be Asia's premier biotech event, is also none other than this curiosity. Certainly, this leading biotech event has its paramount importance and relevance at this juncture not only for Indian industry but for its counterparts in neighbouring countries as well.

Bangalore Bio, promoted by Government of Karnataka and the state's Biotechnology Vision Group, is an annual international networking opportunity for technologists, entrepreneurs and scientists in Bangalore to showcase their products and services. The two-day conference and exhibition provides an exclusive forum for the biotech industry to interact with talent pool, and is an opportunity to gauge latest developments. Bangalore Bio in 2001, laid the foundation for the biotech industry to take off with pioneering initiatives and business models. And during the successive years, it has helped empowering biotechnology as a potential subject for education and also created job opportunities in many faculties like zoology, biochemistry, botany, immunology and pathology.

However, since it is organised by the Biotechnology Vision Group Karnataka, Bangalore Bio 2004 will project the state as a knowledge centre of the country and attract global investors.

The fourth edition of the event, which is scheduled from July 11-to-13 at the Palace Grounds in the city, besides showcasing the State's biotechnology prowess and business opportunities, will incorporate the objectives of the new governments at the Centre and the state.

According to latest figures, this year's event has attracted 30 companies from India, which include Ranbaxy, AstraZeneca, Strand Geno-mics, Biocon Ltd, Sartorius, Millipore and TCS.

In total, around 100 participants are also expected from different parts of the country and abroad. The participants expect a good turnout for one of India's leading annual biotech engagements where visitors largely comprise business heads, technocrats, technologists, entrepreneurs, research scientists, manufacturers, exporters, venture capitalists, consultancy firms, and students.

The 4th edition of Bangalore Bio will be an occasion for top-notch scientists and industry leaders to interact and create a prolific knowledge pool. With prominent speakers and a diverse range of exhibitors, it promises to be an ideal forum to find out about current developments in the biotechnology sector and at the same time to view the products and their practical applications, according to the organisers.

The theme of the event 'Biotechnology for a Billion' has been devised in sync with the national agenda of reaching out to the common man. In keeping with the government of Karnataka's focus on biotechnology for rural areas, the Vision Group on Biotechnology would take such events to the districts with a focus on agriculture, aquaculture, food processing etc.

The conference, an important element of Bangalore
Bio, would be held at the JN Tata Auditorium. Experts would delve into R&D, outsourcing vaccines, and therapeutics, diagnostics, indus-trial and environmental, agricultural biotechnology, clinical research, IPRs, biologics manufacturing, IT-enabled bio-services and bio-investments.

Among the prominent personalities at the meet will be the man behind the development and release of over 300 rice varieties in Asia, Africa and Latin America, Dr. Gurdev. S. Khush, who will deliver a special address on the day of the inauguration. Dr. Khush will also present a paper on 'Biotechnology for Food Security in a Developing World'. Dr. M K Bhan, Secretary Government of India, Department of Biotechnology, government of India will deliver the key note address.

Participants can keenly look forward to technical discussions on sectors like bioinformatics, bio pharmaceuticals, IPR, regulatory issues. The second day focuses on Partnerships in Biotech Research & Development, Issues in Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Prophylactics (Vaccines) and Environmental, Industrial & Contract Research in biotechnology.