2012 Keynote Speaker
Learn more about the 2012 Keynote Speaker, Leroy E. Hood (MD, PhD), President and Co-Founder, Institute for Systems Biology.
Don’t Forget to Register for the
Special Events at the 2012 World Congress
The Local Organizing Committee of the 2012 World Congress on In Vitro Biology’s Program Committee has arranged a number of special events for the enjoyment of the attendees. For more information on these events or to register, read here!
An Evening at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
Plans are underway for a special tour, tasting and dinner event at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery on Wednesday evening, June 6 from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the top visitor and historic attractions in the Puget Sound area. It’s everything you want a winery to be: grand, beautiful and informative with a wide variety of wines available to taste or purchase. During our event, enhance your wine knowledge and learn about their rich heritage, take a behind-the-scenes glimpse at winemaking, or taste what makes the Columbia Valley such a premier grape growing region. Before dinner, wander through the historic grounds or take a tour of the facilities and learn about the process of making these special wines. At dinner you will have the rare opportunity to sample a number of premium and distinctive wines and attendees will be able to purchase both wine and gifts, including those exclusively sold at the winery, at a 10% discount during the event to take home.
Situated on 105 wooded acres in Woodinville, Washington, 15 miles northeast of Seattle, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s history dates back to just after the repeal of prohibition when the state’s bountiful fruit and berry harvests were vinified to produce the Northwest’s first wines. By focusing on quality Washington fruit and melding Old World winemaking tradition with New World innovation, Chateau Ste. Michelle continues to make a name for itself, as well as for the state of Washington, as one of the premier wine regions in the world. The price for this special event is $90 and will include round trip bus transportation, tour of the winery and grounds, open wine tasting bar, buffet dinner, dessert and a 10% discount on wine and gift purchases. This is an evening you do not want to miss!
Thursday Afternoon Tour of Pacific Rim Bonsai Collections and the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden
Plans are underway for a tour of the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collections and the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden located at the Weyerhaeuser Corporate Headquarters in Federal Way, WA on Thursday, June 7 from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Literally, bonsai means plantings in tray, from bon, a tray or low-sided pot and sai, a planting or plantings. The cultivation of a bonsai tree requires time and patience along with precise pruning and wiring of branches to achieve the desired form. We will take a stroll and slowly contemplate the beauty and artistry of an outstanding display of these miniaturized trees from Pacific Rim nations. Many of us are familiar with the hybrids and cultivars of rhododendrons and azaleas used in landscaping. The genus Rhododendron, however, comprises over 1000 species, including the native Pacific Coast Rhododendron, Rhododendron macrophyllum. A large number of species from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America are grown on the 22-acre garden operated by the Rhododendron Species Foundation. In the Pacific Northwest, peak bloom time is typically May-June, but does depend on the weather and the individual species. In addition to the rhodies, the diverse plantings throughout this garden will delight and inspire any plant-lover. The price for this tour is $40 and will include round trip bus transportation, entry fees to the Bonsai Collection and Botanical Garden facilities, and lunch.
Scientific Tour of the Institute for Systems Biology and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Plans are underway for a tour of the Institute for Systems Biology and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center on Thursday, June 7 from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. The greater Seattle area is home to many biological research companies and institutions. This tour will visit two outstanding facilities the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) and the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center (FHCRC). In 2000, Dr. Leroy Hood, and his associates, Dr. Alan Aderem and Dr. Ruedi Aebersold, founded ISB with a focus on systems biology and analyzing biological complexity. The Institute has brought together a multidisciplinary group of scholars and scientists, from biologists, mathematicians and engineers, to computer scientists and physicists. ISB is an independent, non-profit organization, and as such is committed to discovering knowledge and translating its benefits to society. ISB commercializes its discoveries; advances science education; helps society better understand the impacts of science and technology; and creates exciting new organizations that facilitate these transfers. ISB embraces an open lab-concept, thus the SIVB group will have a general tour of the facilities as well as learning of the technologies developed at ISB (including the NanoSystems Biology Alliance, Seattle Proteome Center, Nanostring Technologies). FHCRC is a preeminent research institution that has been leading the way on cancer treatment and prevention since the 1970’s, including breakthroughs on bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapies. Work at FHCRC is not limited to cancer, however, it also encompasses HIV/AIDS and other diseases as well as advancing the general understanding of human biology. At FHCRC, the SIVB group will tour the general facilities in addition to a couple of research labs where the focus is on the structure and function of biological molecules, such as homing endonucleases (Dr. Barry Stoddard) and using plants to study epigenetics and DNA methylation (Dr. Steve Henikoff). The price for this tour is $30 and will include round trip bus transportation to the ISB and FHCRC facilities and lunch.
