Agenda

Day 1 | Wednesday 12 March 2025

09.00 - 10.00 Registration

10.00 - 10.40 Opening Plenary

Welcome from Mark Bustard, CEO, IBioIC

Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation

Tony Heslop, EMEA Regional Lead Sustainability, BASF

Thanks to our Platinum sponsor

10.40 - 11.25 Partnering for success: the importance of collaborations across research, innovation and supply chains (Part 1)

Session lead: Liz Fletcher, Director of Operations, IBioIC  

Today's sessions will focus on the importance of collaborations across research, innovation and supply chains. In this session, we have two exciting case studies of successful collaborations across engineering biology and biotechnology.

Industry-Academia Partnerships for Sustainable Chemical Manufacture using Engineering Biology | Professor Stephen Wallace, Chair of Chemical Biotechnology and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Engineering the future of fashion: biological dyes at scale  | Sophie Vaud, Head of the Microbial Engineering Division, Colorifix

Thanks to our Gold sponsor

11.25 - 11.55 Coffee break

Enjoy some refreshments while networking, browse the exhibitor stands on Levels 2 and 3, and visit the posters on Level 3 to speak to our students about their research.

11.55 - 13.30 Partnering for success: the importance of collaborations across research, innovation and supply chains (Part 2)

Session lead: Kim Cameron, Senior Impact Manager, IBioIC 

Clusters are recognised as critical drivers of regional success. In this session, we look at what we can learn from successful clustering initiatives focussed on specific feedstocks and regions, and how we can adapt and apply those ideas locally.

Creating Value Through Clusters: Seafood By-Product Insights from Iceland and Opportunities for Scotland

Chair: Donna Fordyce, Chief Executive, Seafood Scotland

• Melanie Siggs, Director of the Global Seafood Alliance, Vice President of The Centre for Responsible Seafood, Ambassador for the Iceland Ocean Cluster,

• Alastair Kennedy, Director, Lornal Consultancy

Launchpad for Biomanufacturing in Scotland - take off for cluster growth

Chair: John Hand, Specialist, Industrial Biotechnology Future Industry Team, Scottish Enterprise

In 2023, Scottish Enterprise, IBioIC and Forth Valley College won a £7.5M UKRI funded launchpad to grow the bio-based manufacturing cluster in Scotland. Here we offer you a taste of some of the exciting projects supported through Launchpad funding. 

• Jay Dignan, founder, BioMara

• Ed Craig, CEO, Carbogenics

• Marie Rapin, R&D head, HUID Ltd

• Rita Cruz, Head of Molecular Biology, Ingenza

• David Mackie, Product Development Manager, Marine Biopolymers Ltd

• Mark Dorris, CEO, Mercel Ltd

• MiAlgae

• NCIMB

• Ioannis Stasinopoulos, CEO, Prozymi Biolabs

• Alicja Dzieciol, Founder and CEO, SilviBio Ltd

• Jo Penhaul Smith, CTO, Sustainable Extricko

13.30 - 15.00 Networking Lunch, poster observation, 1-1 meetings

Join our Copper sponsors in the foyer on Level 2 and the mezzanine on Level 3 for a hot fork buffet and enjoy the opportunity to take part in informal networking.

Visit the poster zone on Level 3 to speak to our students about their work. Voting on posters will take place throughout the day with the winner announced at the end of Day 1.

Thanks to our Copper sponsor

15.00 - 15.45 Partnering for success: the importance of collaborations across research, innovation and supply chains (Part 3)

Celtic Clusters - Learning from best practice from biotech innovation cluster across Europe.

Chair: Keith Marin, Scottish International Trade Executive, Scottish Development International

Continuing our exploration of the value of clusters and activities across Europe, we have invited our colleagues from Spain, France and Ireland to share more about their activities and opportunities for collaboration.  

• Spain: Daniel Álvarez, PhD, International Business Manager, Bioga

• Ireland: Cathy Keenan, Partnership Manager, Biorbic

• France: Gorenka Bojadzija Savic, European Projects Manager, Biotech Sante Bretagne

Bridging Academia and Industry: Fostering Skills and Innovation in Industrial Biotechnology.

This workshop session will explore the pivotal role colleges can play in driving innovation within the industrial biotechnology sector. This session will delve into strategies for fostering collaboration between colleges and biotech companies, highlighting successful case studies and best practices. Participants will learn about:

• Leveraging academic resources and expertise to solve real-world biotech challenges

• Innovation vouchers and how they can support both workforce development and product, process and service development

• Co-designing industry relevant curricula

Whether you’re an educator, researcher, or industry professional, this workshop will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to enhance the synergy between colleges and the industrial biotechnology sector.

• Shona Pettigrew, Director of Enterprise an Knowledge Exchange, Edinburgh College

• Sara Rae, Assistant Principal, Enterprise and Skills, West College Scotland

15.45 - 16.30 Innovation Showcase

Session Lead:  Lynsey Blain, Senior Impact Manager, IBioIC  

Scotland has a rich supply of research and innovation, which is driving rapid growth of the bioeconomy. This session offers a taste of some of the exciting projects from researchers and entrepreneurs in industrial biotechnology. 

16.30 - 16.40 Catherine Baker Memorial Prize Awards and Poster winner prizegiving

This year’s Catherine Baker Memorial Prize award winners, and the poster prize winner will be announced.

16.40 - 16.45 Day 1 wrap up

Chair: Mark Bustard, CEO IBioIC 

Mark will offer delegates a warm welcome to attend the Civic Reception at the stunning Glasgow City Chambers a short stroll from the conference venue. 

16.45 - 18.00

Networking and move to Civic Reception

18.00 - 20.00 Civic Reception, Glasgow City Chambers

All conference delegates are invited to join us for an informal networking evening in Glasgow’s spectacular City Chambers.