UC Davis will be represented at the 10th annual Biotechnology Industry Organization conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, June 6-9. The following faculty and administrators will be available to speak to reporters on topics related to biotechnology and entrepreneurship before, during and after the meeting.

UC Davis will be represented at the Bay Area Marketing Partnership/BayBio booth (booth 1612 in the Exhibit Hall) during the conference. For assistance in contacting sources during the meeting, visit the booth or contact Andy Fell, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-4533, (530) 304-8888 (cell), ahfell@ucdavis.edu or Sajeel Malani, UC Davis Office of Research, (530) 219-0677 (cell).

For other sources or for topics not covered here, contact Andy Fell.

SPEAKERS

ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM UNIVERSITY RESEARCH

Session: Commercializing Academic Science

Tuesday, June 8

11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Room Number: 2016 West

Barry Klein, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis, will talk about steps the university is taking to encourage commercial development of campus research and promote economic development both in the Greater Sacramento region and statewide. Klein is responsible for providing support to and leadership of the UC Davis research enterprise. In particular, he has responsibility for the Technology Transfer Center, which manages patents and other intellectual property issues for the campus; the UC Davis CONNECT program, which promotes industry-university links and entrepreneurship in the Sacramento region; the planned UC Davis Research Park; and new programs to encourage startup companies and commercialization of campus research. He will be attending the entire conference. Contact: Barry Klein, Office of Research, (530) 752-4091, bmklein@ucdavis.edu.

ATTENDEES

Martina Newell-McGloughlin, director of the University of California's Biotechnology Research and Education Program is one of the nation's leading experts on biotechnology. Based at UC Davis, the program supports research, teaching and outreach efforts related to biotechnology at UC campuses and the three UC-affiliated national laboratories in areas including biomedicine, agriculture, environmental sciences, law and economics. An internationally recognized expert and advocate of biotechnology, Newell-McGloughlin has testified before the U.S. Congress and the United Nations on these issues. She will be attending the entire conference. Contact: Martina Newell-McGloughlin, UCBREP, (530) 752-8237, mmmcgloughlin@ucdavis.edu.

Judith Kjelstrom, acting director of the UC Davis Biotechnology Program, can speak about biotechnology and its application in agriculture and other areas. The UC Davis program promotes research, teaching and public education in biotechnology and fosters collaborations between faculty and the biotech industry. It administers the NIH Training Program in Biomolecular Technology, the Designated Emphasis in Biotechnology graduate program and the Advanced Degree Program for corporate employees. The program organizes summer courses in topics such as bioinformatics, proteomics and molecular biology for biologists and non-specialists. Kjelstrom will be attending the entire conference. Contact: Judith Kjelstrom, Biotechnology Program, (530) 752-8228 (campus office), 916-812-0938 (cell); jakjelstrom@ucdavis.edu.

David McGee is executive director of Technology Business Development and acting director of the Technology Transfer Center at UC Davis. A veteran of biotech and genomics startup companies, his role is to identify UC Davis inventions with a high potential for commercialization and then to work with researchers and industry to achieve that goal. The Technology Transfer Center handles invention disclosures, patents, copyrights, licensing and other intellectual property issues for the campus. In 1982, McGee helped start SunGene Technologies Corporation, an agricultural biotech company, at the Stanford Business Park. In 1987, he co-founded Biosource Genetics, now called Large Scale Biology Corporation, and worked there until he joined UC Davis in early 2004. Contact: David McGee, UC Davis Technology Business Development, (916) 734-3255, drmcgee@ucdavis.edu.

Ray Rodriguez is professor of molecular and cell biology at UC Davis and director of the National Center of Excellence for Nutritional Genomics. The NIH-funded center explores the links between diet, genes and disease. In 1993, Rodriguez founded Ventria Bioscience, a biotech company dedicated to making crops that contain human proteins that promote health and nutrition. He served as chairman of the company until 1999 and still sits on the company's scientific advisory board. He is also chairman and chief executive officer of the Davis Bioscience Group, a consulting and venture capital company. Contact: Ray Rodriguez, Molecular and Cell Biology, (530) 752-3263 (office), (916) 837-8849 (cell); rlrodriguez@ucdavis.edu.

Leo Chalupa is professor of ophthalmology and neurobiology and chair of the Section of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at UC Davis. He studies the development of the nerves and brain areas that allow us to see. He recently co-founded Immunotox Inc., a medical biotechnology company based in Davis that has developed a new drug that acts like "permanent Botox" for the effective treatment of neuromuscular disorders. Chalupa expects to attend the conference Tuesday afternoon (June 8). Contact: Leo Chalupa, Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, (530) 752-2559, lmchalupa@ucdavis.edu.

Emine Gunhan is an assistant research professor in the Section of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior and co-founder of Immunotox Inc. Gunhan expects to attend on Tuesday afternoon (June 8). Contact: Emine Gunhan, Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, egunhan@ucdavis.edu.

BOOTH SCHEDULE

Monday, June 7

11 a.m.-12 p.m. -- Barry Klein

1:30-2:30 p.m. -- David McGee

3-4 p.m. -- Barbara Boczar (Senior Intellectual Property Officer, UC Davis)

Tuesday, June 8

10.30-12.30 p.m. -- Ray Rodriguez

1:30-2:30 p.m. -- David McGee

2:30-3:30 p.m. -- Barbara Boczar

3-5 p.m. -- Leo Chalupa and Emile Gunhan

Wednesday, June 9

11 a.m.-12 p.m. -- Barry Klein

1:30-2:30 p.m. -- Barbara Boczar

2:30-3:30 p.m. -- David McGee