On the 14th of April 2016 the 16th edition of the Netherlands Biotechnology Conference (NBC-16) was organized by the NBV. During this day professionals and students in the field of biotechnology informed and inspired each other during several interactive sessions and keynotes on NEXT Level Biotechnology.
Next Level Keynotes
Alex Patist, senior director at Genomatica presented three main take home messages on how to make a bio-based process a standard gladly-embraced part of our production toolkit. First of all, it is important to begin with the end product in mind. An engineering focused whole process systems oriented approach is key to successful industrial applications. If you don’t know where you are going, it doesn’t matter which road you take. Besides this, techno-economic issues often interfere with the process. Scaling-down often proves to be a cheaper and faster manner in order to determine whether a process is realistic. Economic analysis and -modeling are a guide in technical decisions across the process. Finally, industrial experience greatly declines the underestimation of certain phases in a project. Careful management of the details needed for real world deployment and technology transfer is needed.
Marc Robillard, CEO at Tagworks Pharmaceuticals, 2nd keynote speaker, started a project as part of Philips using antibody-based imaging and therapy. Tagworks continued the project as spin-off, and combines in depth chemistry, applications and biology by using specific antibodies against cancer. Tagged antibodies are chemically manipulated in vivo, allowing selective attack of cancer cells. The antibody is allowed to circulate and accumulate at the target site. When a chemical probe is administered, a chemical reaction between the tag and the probe actuate the tagged antibody. This boosts target-to background ratio in radioimmuno-imaging and –therapy to treat tumors.
The winners of the iGem competition 2015, Samantha Basalo Vazquez and Héctor Sangüesa Ferrer from the TU Delft, showed their project on the do-it-yourself 3D printer, with which they are able to print biofilms reproducible and in an automated way.
The final keynote speaker, John van der Oosten (WUR) showed us the Next Level technology RNA-guided DNA interference using CRISPR-Cas. Key findings on CRISPR-Cas in prokaryotes have started a revolution. Development in applications, biotechnology and medicine are initiated. Apart from this, CRISPR-Cas technology has potential in applications in which for example good bacteria are protected from bad viruses. This can be accomplished by genome editing and engineering viruses to target bad bacteria.
Parallel sessions & Posters
In the parallel sessions topics like Cell and Fermentation Technology, Microbial Systems Biology & Synthetic Biology, Green Biotechnology, Product Isolation, Synthetic Biology and Societal Aspects, Microbial Physiology and Applied Biocatalysis were discussed. In addition, a dedicated career workshop was organized for the young NBV members. A two-minute poster pitch introduced the posters presented at the NBC. Curious about the posters or parallel session, please checkout the NBC-conference app for all abstracts!
The successful and exciting day was closed with the awards for the Zilveren Zandloper, a reception and a dinner buffet.
