BIOTECH PROGRAMME NEWSROUND
Update on the Biotechnology research programme (DG XII)
issue 12 (July 1998)
Programme implementation
Training workshops
 28 proposals for second TSE call
Biobiz: how to prepare a business plan
Precisely 28 proposals involving 149 laboratories
were received following the 2nd call for proposals for
research on TSE that closed on 17 June. This call
focused on risk assessment; inactivation procedures;
and co-ordination of research activities in Europe.
EC contact: L. Matthiessen – fax: 32-2-299.1860
Growth in new sectors such as biotechnology is driven
essentially through the creation and development of
new companies. For scientists, who are rarely familiar
with management and finance, it is a new world.
To provide them with some of the tools and know-how
needed to prepare their venture and talk to financiers,
the EC’s Biotechnology programme is supporting the
Biobiz initiative organised by Amersham Pharmacia
Biotech. These intensive 3-day workshops will enable
entrepreneurs to prepare viable business plans.
Results from projects
 Enhancing immune responses to DNA
Using suicidal DNA vaccines, the team led by Peter
Liljeström at the Karolinska Institute (SE) has
overcome a major hurdle in the development of DNA
vaccines – the low level of immune response.
Berglund et al (1998) Nature Biotechnology, 16: 562-5
EC contract Bio4ct96-0006
 Systemic long-term delivery of antibodies
Implantation of cellulose sulphate capsules containing
antibody-producing cells has been shown to ensure
delivery of monoclonal antibodies over for several
months. This could provide a means of surveillance
treatment for cancer and severe viral diseases.
Pelegrin et al (1998) Gene Therapy, 5 : 828-834
EC training grant Bio4ct95-0100
 Technology Implementation Plan (part 2)
The TIP can assist the exploitation planning
process
A clear view of the exploitation route should be
decided on as soon as possible in the project and
ideally should be included in the negotiations between
the potential partners before they submit a proposal.
This includes the exploitation intentions of all
partners related to the potential results generated by
the project.
For those partners who have not yet signed or
negotiated a co-operation agreement, the questions
raised in the TIP are ideally suited to assisting the
drawing up of such an agreement.
TIP information and forms are available on the web:
http://www.cordis.lu/innovation/src/tip.htm
EC contact: T. Ingemansson
Workshop locations and dates
Amersham, Bucks, UK
Freiburg, DE
Paris, FR
Uppsala, SE
Roosendaal, NL
Milano, IT
Barcelona, ES
22 - 24 Sept. 1998
29 Sept. - 1 Oct. 1998
13 - 15 Oct. 1998
27 - 29 Oct. 1998
3 - 5 Nov. 1998
10 - 13 Nov. 1998
17 - 19 Nov. 1998
The Biobiz workshops are specifically designed for
(potential) entrepreneurs in the biotech sector.
Applicants should be researchers with a well thought
out start-up project, with at least a basic understanding
of what is involved in starting and running a business
and a working knowledge of Excel. Candidates will
be selected on the basis of the maturity of their start-up
plans.
This initiative is in line with an observation made at
the 1st conference of the Biotech & Finance Forum:
although no one could be taught to be an
entrepreneur, management skills can improve chances
of success.
For information or to register, please contact:
Michel Lepers, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech
fax: 49-7614-519 349
michel_lepers@compuserve.com
 Advanced practical workshops (1998-99)
The full list of workshops that are to receive EC
funding is available by fax and on the Web.
see W under “Courses”
EC contact: A. Vassarotti
For further information on any items contact us by fax: 32-2-299.1860, e-mail: stephane.hogan@dg12.cec.be
If the W symbol appears, you can consult our web site: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg12/biot1.html
Training & Mobility
Conferences & Events
 Biotech Training Fellowships
Biosafety results of GMO field tests
The last deadline for Training fellowships is closed.
A record number of applications were received. There
will be no further calls in this programme
EC contact: A. Vassarotti- fax: 32-2-299.1860
5th international symposium on GMO field test
Biosafety.
A press conference will be held on the 7th, at 11am.
Braunschweig (DE), 6-10 September 1998.
organiser: J. Schiemann - fax:49-531-299.3013
EC contact: I. Economidis
 EC support for practical workshops
An information package is available for those seeking
EC support to organise advanced practical workshops.
 Final deadline for receipt of applications
for Practical Workshop grants:
15 September 1998
Patentability of Biotechnological Inventions
Conference organised and chaired by Mr. Willi Rothley
MEP, vice-chairman of Committee on legal affairs.
Brussels (B), 13 October 1998.
organiser: M&M conseil - fax: 33-1.40.20.98.89
1st Life Science Demonstration Conference
EC contact: A. Vassarotti
 EC-funded practical workshops
Bioinformatics 1. Sequence Retrieval Systems (SRS)
Cambridge (UK), 28 Sept. 1998 – 2 Oct.1998
Bioinformatics 2. Databases in Molecular Biology
Cambridge (UK), 12-16 Oct.1998
Bioinformatics 3. Protein Structure Prediction
Cambridge (UK), 28-30 Oct.1998
M. Ashburner, EMBL-EBI, Hinxton,
fax: 44-1223-494.470 - ashburner@embl-ebi.ac.uk
This conference will bring together all partners in
EC-funded Demonstration projects to discuss topics
such as dissemination of results, exploitation pathways,
etc.
Uppsala (SE), 12-14 October 1998.
EC contact: I. Norstedt
Applied Genome Research - symposium
This 1st European symposium is organised by the EFB.
Brussels (B), 26-27 November 1998.
organiser: M. da Silva - fax: 32-2-656.8145
e-mail: crooy@sbbio.be
Biological Safety in industrial and agricultural biotech.
Zeist (NL), 12-15 Oct.1998
organised by R. Havenaar - tel. 31-30-694.4726
fax 31-30-694.4928 - havenaar@voeding.tno.nl
 Examples of Demonstration projects (vol. 2)
DNA Sequencing: advanced approaches, automated
methods and analysis
EMBL, Heidelberg (DE), 2-12 Dec. 1998
W. Ansorge - fax 49-6221-387.306
ansorge@embl-heidelberg.de
Brochure describing 18 Demonstration projects from
Life Sciences and Technologies funded in the
BIOTECH, BIOMED and FAIR programmes (70 pages).
Also available is vol. 1 with 15 projects (55 pages).
EC contact: I. Norstedt
hilde.somers@dg12.cec.be
World Wide Web
 Biotech home page on EUROPA
EC project co-ordinators, please note that links can be
made to your project home page.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg12/biot1.html
 Biotech home page on CORDIS
This site on CORDIS provides access to the database of
all EU funded projects.
http://www.cordis.lu/biotech/home.html
New Publications
Animal models – progress reports
Compendium of progress reports from 6 BIOTECH
projects on Animal models (area 3.2.2).
EC contact: B. Lucaroni
Biotechnology and Finance Forum - report
The report on the 1st conference (12-14 May) of the
Biotechnology and Finance Forum is now available,
in print or on the Web (37 pages).
see W under “Biotechnology & Finance Forum”
EC contact: P. de Taxis du Poët
A list of publications is available, with a request form.
Editor: S. Hogan, DG XII-E-1, SDME 9/22, rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
tel: 32-2-296.2965 - fax: 32-2-299.1860 - e-mail: stephane.hogan@dg12.cec.be
This information may be translated or reproduced without reference to the editor.
see W under “Publications”
Editor: S. Hogan, DG XII-E-1, SDME 9/22, rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
tel: 32-2-296.2965 - fax: 32-2-299.1860 - e-mail: stephane.hogan@dg12.cec.be
This information may be translated or reproduced without reference to the editor.