bio

A guide to Wisconsins life sciences, the magazine highlights the state’s research base, technology-transfer process, company creation, quality of life, key contacts and the “I-Q Corridor” that joins Chicago, Wisconsin and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The report looks at how state regulators were responding to agricultural biotechnology, and how the federal-state partnership to ensure food safety and protect the environment was faring.

The statistics reflect recent efforts made by the OECD to obtain an accurate assessment of the current state of biotechnology statistics in OECD member and observer countries. It is an update of the original document, which was released in 2000.

The report from the Milken Institute demonstrates the strong economic impact that the biopharmaceutical industry already has on state and U.S. economies. According to the report, the biopharmaceutical industry is poised to become an important source of economic growth in regions that are successful in nurturing it.

The plan highlights Iowa’s core competencies and platforms for development of the biosciences industry. The plan emphasizes the need to encourage and facilitate the commercialization of bioscience research and development while fostering a business environment that supports the growth and sustainability of Iowas firms. Twenty action steps to be undertaken by various groups are outlined through four broad focus areas.

The roadmap seeks to identify polymer technology development opportunities for the regions industry to pursue and establish the strategies, encompassing associated industry, government and higher education actions, which will enable the region to pursue the opportunities.

The paper describes the ethical, business and political dimensions of agriculture biotechnology in India with specific reference to the experience of Bt cotton in Gujarat. Implications for future policy for
technological change have been outlined as well.

The report recommends that the Canadian Government invest substantial financial resources to support bioproduct and bioprocess R&D, as the country lags behind in this area. Currently, Canada does not have a strategy for the development of bioproducts and bioprocesses, and R&D in this field is not a priority of funding agencies and government departments.

The working paper from the Kauffman Foundation presents data regarding the nature, extent and consequences of the ‘triple helix’ of relationships between academe, the government and industry in the life and health related sciences.

The authors quantify the economic impact of introducing genetically modified (GM) crops in the research paper from Iowa State University. Short-run results suggest that it might be optimal to maintain the identity of a greater proportion of non-GM grain than is currently demanded by non-GM consumers. Long-run results show that GM crops almost always benefit society, but one scenario is presented where overall welfare falls.