Edward Rubin Director of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute writes about the importance of genomics in this week's Nature for the future of cellulosic biofuels. read the paper | read the DOE press release
Advanced Biofuels
Confused about biofuels? Start here with Biotech-NOW as BIO's Matt Carr explains the nuts and bolts behind biofuels. listen to the podcast
Biotech Research, Certification Standards for Advanced, Low-Carbon Biofuels To Be Featured at Pacific Rim Summit
Research scientists and international officials will explore biotechnology's potential to create advanced biofuels that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the Pacific Rim Summit read the press release
Blogging Biofuels
Why do we need biofuels levels in place? read the post
Senate Small Business Committee Passes an SBIR bill
The Senate Small Business Committee has passed an SBIR reauthorization bill. read the post
Globalization of Contract Research Organizations: Hope for Pharma Pipelines?
The current "elephant in the room" in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry is the fact that drug pipelines are suffering severely, resulting in a 20% decrease in Investigational New Drug (IND) filings just in the last two years.
read the post
It's Carbon Payback Time
A recent study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin takes another look at the "carbon debt" models proposed by Searchinger and Fargione in ScienceXpress earlier this year. Searchinger and Fargione argued that biofuel development in the United States and Europe would lead to the destruction of rainforests and grassland in Brazil and other tropical climates, which would of course release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. The new study takes into account some factors that other researchers criticized Fargione and Searchinger for ignoring. Read the post.
Science News
Using Science to Catch a Killer
It's the technology used to make life saving therapies, it can also be used to catch a killer. Find out how the FBI did it. Read the story
Remember the Voices of Patients
This isn't really news, but it's an excellent series in the New York Times called Patient Voices. The current one is on Parkinson's disease. If you work in the healthcare area of the biotechnology industry this is a must-listen. listen to the voices
Policy Updates
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR)
Not sure what the SBIR issue is? Check out our Hopes and Cures Blog, and find out why stamping out SBIR will also stamp out hope for cures.
