PROVIDENCE, R.I. — February 20, 2006 — The University of Rhode Island’s Feinstein Providence Campus will be the site of the second annual Northeast Regional Biotechnology Symposium on Friday, March 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The event will feature representatives from six biotechnology companies providing overviews of their operations in the region and discussing the growth of the industry, followed by two roundtable discussions about biotech manufacturing issues and venture capital opportunities in the region. At the conclusion of the symposium, an information session will be held about continuing education opportunities in biotechnology and related fields.
Companies participating in the event are Ion Signature Technology, Inc., NABsys, Inc., Afferent Corp., Neurotech USA, Inc., Concordia Manufacturing LLC, Multicell Technologies Inc., and Amgen Inc. Jerry McAndrew, associate director of supply chain at Amgen, will lead the discussion on biotech manufacturing issues, while Richard Horan, executive director of the Slater Technology Fund, will lead the venture capital discussion.
“This symposium will bring together the biotechnology community — industry, academia, and government — to discuss the latest developments in the region,” said Greg Paquette, director of biotechnology programs at URI. “It will also allow for the showcasing of the biotechnology manufacturing and graduate biotechnology programs at the URI Providence Campus. These programs have become a major supplier of life sciences technicians and scientists for the rapidly evolving industry in the region. Enrollment in these programs has tripled since their inception three years ago.”
The Northeast Regional Biotechnology Symposium is part of the Rhode Island Biotechnology Industry Training Initiative, which is coordinated by URI’s Arthur Blume and designed to offer the biotech companies in the region with education, networking and training programs for their employees.
The symposium is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about the biotechnology industry in Rhode Island. Advance registration is required. For more information or to register for the event, call the URI Special Programs Office at 401-277-5050.