The Crossroad of Biotechnology 2006 Report

The Crossroad of Biotechnology symposium is a key event for Canada's biotechnology industry

The 11^th edition of the Crossroad of Biotechnology symposium, held March 22 and 23, 2006 at the National Research Council's Biotechnology Research Institute (NRC BRI), was a resounding success. Some 260 participants from six countries enjoyed the outstanding 2006 program, whose 25 speakers from Canada, the United States, France, Belgium and Germany described the latest innovations in bioprocessing and bioproducts.

"All fields now agree on the need for a new direction. This forum has become a key place to take stock of actions and create the conditions needed for the development of Canada's biotechnology industry," said Michel Desrochers, Director General of the NRC Biotechnology Research Institute.

The symposium allowed participants to discuss strategies to ensure the emergence and development of Canada's biotechnology industries in the coming years. A number of key points were discussed.

• Canada has considerable biotechnology capacities and can be a driving force in the emergence and development of industrial biotechnology.
• Industrial biotechnology not only improves processes but leads to increased renewable resource consumption, thereby cutting dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to economic development and enhancing business profitability.
• The agricultural and forest biomass, which is a source of renewable energy, could supply the energy production industry with raw materials (fuel for transportation, electricity, heat), chemicals (polymers, enzymes, micromolecules) and materials (fibers, composites, etc).

The latest Crossroad of Biotechnology conference also emphasized the urgent need for action to promote the development of a new bioeconomy. "We are taking a new direction, one that will lead to sustainability. We must move toward our destination as quickly as possible by making innovative discoveries and exploiting their commercial potential," said Murray McLaughlin, President of McLaughlin Consultants and honorary symposium chairperson.