The Biotechnology Society of India (BSI) in association with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Shantha Biotechnics is organising its fourth annual conference in the form of a three-day symposium on 'Over-expression: Systems and Challenges', during November 26-28, 2006 at Hyderabad.

Proteins account for a significant portion of bio-products. Choice of the host system underpins the success of bio-production of proteins. Heterologous systems pose immense challenges in overcoming the regulation, synthesis, maturation and secretion of functional proteins.

Dr Sathish Kumar, scientist, National Facility for Transgenic and Gene Knock-Out Mice, CCMB, said, the country needs more incubators for transgenic animal facilities. There is a significant role of transgenic animal systems in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors. The symposium offers opportunity to take stock of the latest developments and technologies in research that will help in producing new drugs in future.

According to Dr N Madhusudhana Rao, CCMB, Indian biological manufacturers should develop their own technologies instead of depending on in-licensing from US companies. The companies should re-look at promoters, vectors and hosts in the production of proteins. There are several challenges in over-expression that need to be overcome. Industry and research institutions should further strengthen their collaborations in this kind of effort. CCMB has already made some headway in this direction.

The symposium expects industry and scientific community to look at fresh perspectives in protein production. Sessions in the symposium will focus on various hosts such as bacteria, cell lines, large animals etc. There will be eight sessions with about 24 speakers.

Key speakers in the symposium include Dr Girish Sahni, IMTech, Chandigarh; Dr J Gowrishankar, CDFD, Hyderabad; Dr KP Gopinathan, IISc, Bangalore; Dr Rakesh Tuli, NII, New Delhi; Dr MK Saheb, Wockhardt; Dr Nagaraju, CDFD; Dr Siva Reddy, ICGEB; Dr Koteswara Rao, Trangene Biotek; Prof Seetharam, University of Pune, Dr Vijay Chaudhary, Delhi university; Prof Reddanna, University of Hyderabad; Helen Sang, Roslin Institute; Paul Simons, University College, London, besides others.

For further details please contact:
Satish Kumar/Madhusudhana Rao- CCMB
Tel: 040-27160222-4
email: biotech_2006@ccmb.res.in