Strategic Process Biotechnology2020+ in Berlin

The [http://www.bmbf.de/en/ German Federal Ministry of Education and Research] invited all German iGEM teams to the [http://www.biotechnologie2020plus.de/ 4th Strategic Process Biotechnology 2020+] which took place in Berlin at the 27th of July. Every year representatives from academia, industry and politics are invited to discuss the future of biotechnology. The reason for this event is to procure and to extend the collaboration between research organizations and universities to gain the vision to develop the next generation of biotechnological processes as well as initiate their realization. This year all German iGEM teams got the chance to present their projects via a poster session and discuss their ideas with the attendants.

So we send two members of our team to represent our project to Berlin. At the congress we got in touch with all the other German iGEM teams. We had an intensive exchange with the other teams and discussed their projects. In addition we addressed arranging the Synbioday this year so we asked the teams to cooperate with us to plan a big campaign of all German iGEM teams. At least we motivated five other iGEM teams to organize this special day.

The information platform biotechnologie.de which is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research arranged a [http://www.biotechnologie.de/BIO/Navigation/DE/Aktuelles/biotechnologie-tv,did=164896.html?listBlId=85084& video] about the congress. This video explains what the congress is about and how important it is to have an exchange between the different researchers. At this congress the idea of the principle of a MFC as a future innovation is mentioned. This shows how actual our project is and that this idea of an MFC will have a future application.

The Strategic Process Biotechnology2020+ conference was a good chance to get in touch with the other iGEM teams, promote our project and of course to talk with experts from academia, industry and politics. At this event we get in touch with Dr. Falk Harnisch an expert in bioelectrotechnology and bioelectric catalysis so he was the perfect address to ask questions and get feedback about our project. Later we organized a Skype interview and invited him to our institution.

BIO.NRW PhD Student Convention in Düsseldorf

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