Press Release
Contact: Robert Albright |
Phone: 919-549-7500 ext.123 |
Two Life Science Experts to Speak at Biotech 2005
Duke’s Dr. Victor Dzau and NPR’s David Malakoff Added to Line-up for 14th Biotech Conference
April 7, 2005, Research Triangle Park, NC – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) today announced two additional featured speakers for Biotech 2005. Dr. Victor Dzau, Chancellor for Health Affairs, Duke University and President and CEO, Duke University Health System; and David Malakoff, science and technology correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), will join previously announced speaker Henri Meier of HBM Partners in offering remarks at Biotech 2005.
The 14th annual Biotech conference, scheduled for May 24-25 at the RTP Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, is presented by CED in partnership with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
“Dr. Victor Dzau and David Malakoff each have impressive backgrounds in the life science sector,” said Doug Riddle, senior vice president at Wachovia and co-chair of Biotech 2005. “I look forward to having these two industry experts join the stellar line-up of speakers at Biotech 2005.”
Dr. Dzau will speak on the afternoon of May 24 at Biotech 2005. Prior to his July 2004 appointment at Duke University, Dr. Dzau most recently served as the Hersey Professor of the Theory and Practice of Physic (Medicine) at Harvard Medical School, Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Physician-in-Chief and Director of Research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston. Dzau’s academic interests are in cardiovascular translational research and in cell- and gene-based therapies. He is an enthusiastic supporter of innovation and entrepreneurship at academic institutions and is himself the holder of several patents and founder of two companies (Corgentech and Clingenix). He is a leading science advisor to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Genzyme, Corgentech and Optobionics. Dr. Dzau also serves on the Advisory Committee to the Director of NIH and chaired the NIH cardiovascular Advisory Committee.
David Malakoff, who will speak at Biotech 2005 during lunch on May 25, joined NPR in December of 2004 as the technology and science correspondent for NPR’s science desk. He reports regularly on how science and technology impact people’s daily lives. Before coming to NPR, the Washington, D.C., native wrote about scientific discoveries and the politics behind them, for seven years at Science Magazine. A former freelance journalist, he has written for a wide range of magazines, newspapers, and web sites, including The Economist, Audubon, The Washington Post, ABCNews.com, and PBS television’s Nature series.
In addition to comments from industry leaders such as Dzau, Malakoff and Meier, Biotech 2005 will also feature six concurrent panel sessions. Visit www.cednc.org/biotech for additional details on registering to attend or sponsor Biotech 2005.
About CED: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and monthly programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2004, is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 3,500 members representing 1,000 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. www.cednc.org
About the North Carolina Biotechnology Center: The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation funded primarily by the state's General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business and education statewide. www.ncbiotech.org
About the North Carolina Biosciences Organization: NCBIO is a trade organization promoting the development of the biosciences industry in North Carolina. NCBIO provides cost-effective, organized legislative and advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry at the state and federal levels. www.ncbioscience.org
About the Biotechnology Industry Organization: The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. www.bio.org
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