2011 In Vitro Biology Meeting Update:

Plans for the 2011 In Vitro Biology Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, are well underway. The meeting will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center from June 4 – 8, 2011. Hotel accommodations have been arranged at the Marriott Raleigh City Center adjacent to the convention center.

Dr. Gale A. Buchanan

I am pleased to announce that Gale A. Buchanan will be the keynote symposium speaker discussing “Agricultural Research and the Next Green Revolution: Increased Productivity and Food Security.” Dr. Buchanan is a former Under Secretary of Agriculture (2006 – 2008) under the Bush Administration, former Dean of Agriculture at the University of Georgia and Past President of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). Dr. Buchanan received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Florida and his Ph.D. from Iowa State University. During a 40+ year academic career, he has served as a professor, Experiment Station Director and Dean of the College of Agriculture. In 2005, he was nominated by President Bush to serve as Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics and later as Chief Scientist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He served in this capacity until January 20, 2009. Currently he serves as Dean and Director Emeritus, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Tifton Campus, Tifton, Georgia. After 32 years of service, he retired from the U.S. Army National Guard, with the federally recognized rank of Colonel (0-6).

The Animal and Plant Program Chairs (Dr. Brad Upham and Dr. Kan Wang) are assembling a very exciting agenda that includes the following Joint Plant and Animal and Plenary Symposia:

Joint Plant and Animal Symposium on Herbal Medicines: In Vitro and Clinical Validation
Joint Plant and Animal Symposium: Single Molecule Sequencing Technology: the Applications and Implications for Biological Research
Plenary Symposium on Bioinformatics/Statistics Tools in Biological Research and Product Improvement
Plenary Symposium on Current Topics in Systems Biology
Plenary Symposium on RNAi in Plant Biotechnology, Insect Control and Human Health
Plenary Symposium on Scientific and Regulatory Perspectives on Cellular Identity and Culture Contamination

In addition, a variety of Plant and Animal Symposia and Workshops are also scheduled which include:

Basic Research for Development of New Drugs Using Embryonic Stem (ES) Cell and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS)
Beyond Arabidopsis: Alternative Plant Model Systems
Emerging Tree Biotechnologies to Address Global Issues
Engineering of 3-D Functional Tissues: Powerful Tools for Cancer Biology, In Vitro Toxicology and Regenerative Medicine
Functional Bioengineered Tissues: Cells, 3D Scaffolds, Environmental Cues and Beyond
Functional Neurotoxicology in Cell Culture: New Approaches for the 21st Century
GE Crops Redux: Impact of Crop Biotechnology on Economy, Environment and Society
Genetic Improvement of Perennial Crops as Bioenergy Feedstocks
Imaging Technologies for Live Cells
Physiological Disorders in Tissue Culture
Plant-made Pharmaceuticals (PMP)/Vaccines
Quality Control of Cultured Cells: Addressing Authentication, Adventitious Agents and Phenotypic Characterization
Small RNAs: Research Tools with Big Potential
Student and Postdoc Oral Presentation Competitions (Finalists) in In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences
Student and Postdoc Oral Presentation Competition (Finalists) in Plant Biotechnology
Transformation Technologies I , II and III
Translating Published Research into Commercially Viable Micropropagation Protocols

Our Student Initiative which includes free student registration is being offered this year and we are holding the Student and Post Doc Oral Presentation Competitions again. We expect a large number of students to register and participate at the 2011 annual meeting.

Please make your reservations early for the 2011 In Vitro Biology Meeting in Raleigh. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the 2011 Program Chair, Dr. Cynthia Goodman, the Animal Program Chair, Dr. Brad Upham, or the Plant Program Chair, Dr. Kan Wang.

The scientific program at this year’s meeting offers sessions on subjects pertinent to both animal and plant biotechnology while providing all participants with the high quality science and one-on-one interactions that SIVB members have come to expect.

There are plenty of opportunities for students, such as free registration, ability to apply for eight different Student Awards and ability to submit their abstract to the Student Presentation Competitions. Click Here for Student Opportunities.

Plan to come early and stay late this year as there are numerous special events being planned before and after the meeting including a tour of the Plants for Human Health Institute in Kannapolis, North Carolina and possible tours of some of the local companies in the local Research Park Triangle area, such as Bayer CropScience, BASF, and GlaxoSmithKline. More information will be posted as tours are finalized.

Key Deadline Dates:
Early Bird Abstract Submission:	January 17, 2011
Early Bird Registration:	January 17, 2011
Student Award Application:	January 31, 2010