Name: Prof. Dr. Yuri Gleba - Plant Biotechnology in the 21st Century

CV:
Dr. Gleba has over 30 years of research and management experience in plant genetics and biotechnology. (M. Sc., Kiev University, 1971; Ph.D.,
Institute of Botany,
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; D.Sc., Leningrad University, 1980). He
founded the International Institute of Cell Biology, Kiev, Ukraine, in
1988 and is still serving
as its Director. Dr. Gleba?s pioneering research in plant cell biology,
genetics and physiology were published in more than 200 research papers,
books and over
20 patents, and has earned the respect of the international scientific
community as is evidenced by his election to the World Academy of Arts and
Science (Rome),
the European Academy (Academia Europaea, London), the German Academy
Leopoldina (Halle), the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (Kiev),
Lithuanian Academy of Science and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences
(Munich). In recognition of his outstanding scientific contributions has
also received
numerous international and national awards and prizes, including Koerber
Prize (Hamburg), A. von Humboldt Prize (Bonn), USSR State Prize (former
Stalin Prize,
Moscow), State Prize of Ukraine (Kiev), etc. Dr. Gleba joined American
Cyanamid Company, Princeton, NJ in 1992, where he developed research
efforts
in plant biotechnology and genomics and crop engineering, first as a
group leader/manager, and, since 1997, as a Director of the Crop
Engineering Department.
Dr. Gleba left American Cyanamid in February, 1999, to co-found Icon
Genetics, and is serving as its first CEO. In January 2006, Icon Genetics
has been acquired
by Bayer Innovation, a subsidiary of Bayer AG.

Abstract:

Plant Biotechnology in the 21st Century
Yuri Gleba, Icon Genetics/Bayer, Halle Germany
Plant biotechnology as a commercial process is a reality. Data released by ISAAA show that during the 1996-2005, the global GM crop area has grown for 10 consecutive years and has reached 81 million hectares. Such numbers undoubtedly reflect benefits enjoyed by the various participants in the business, including 8.5 or so million farmers. However, all GM crops grown at present were modified to facilitate crop production, thus, they do not benefit the consumers. Promises to create engineered plant hosts-producers of novel materials, medicines and improved foods made by plant biotechnologists did not materialize so far. It is safe to predict that all this and more will be delivered’ during the 21st Century, but the timing will depend on our ability to develop both the sound science leading to new products as well as the new engineering processes that satisfy the requirements of an exploiter (technical efficiency, compliance with business requirements, compatibility with existing or predicted infrastructure), a government regulator (regulatory compliance, safety, sustainability), and an end user.

Name: Prof. Dr. Vida Motiekaitytė - Global plant saving strategies in European Union.

CV:

Vida MOTIEKAITYTE was born in 1958. In 1981 she graduated Vilnius University (Master of Sciences, biology) and in 1985 - doctoral studies (geobotany) at Institute of Botany in Sankt-Petersbourgh. In 1986 she defended thesis for a doctor degree on urban vegetation and ecology. 1986-1990 she worked as senior research worker at Department of GIS (Research Institute of Agriculture) in Vilnius. 1990-2000 she took a position as associated professor at Faculty of Natural Sciences of Vilnius University and 2000-2005 - head of Department of Environmental research at Siauliai University (Lithuania). In 2003 she defended thesis for a doctor habilitus degree at Institute of Botany (Vilnius) on the topic: Urbophytocoenoses: Syntaxonomy, Toxicotolerance, Successions, Functions). From 2006 she is a professor at Department of Environmental Politics and Management at Mykolas Romeris University (Vilnius). Vida Motiekaityte is a member of executive committee of Lithuanian Fund for Nature (Associated member of WWF), national representative at EU Consortium of Botanic Gardens (Regional section of BGCI), IFPRA World Commissioner for Lithuania. Research interests: geobotany, ethnobotany (plant-symbols and their psychology), urban ecology, environmental politics (environmental movements, sustainable development).

Name: Prof. Dr. RiĨardas Rotomskis - Nanoparticles in diagnostics and therapy: towards nanomedicine

Prof. RiĨardas Rotomskis is teaching “Investigation methods of biological objects”, “Photobiology”, “Photonics of biological systems”, “Lasers in biology and medicine”, “Physics of biomolecules and membranes” at the Nature and Physics Faculties. He is a supervisor of doctoral students. Professor is leading the Biophotonics group at the Laser Research Center and is the head of Laboratory of “Biomedical Physics” at Vilnius University Institute of Oncology. He is also an expert of Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science for Applied Physics studies.

Prof. RiĨardas Rotomskis have published a book “Photosensitized tumour therapy: primary processes”, textbook “Biomedical physics for college students” and more than 100 articles and reports with co-authors dealing with picosecond absorption spectroscopy of organic semiconductors, spectroscopy of primary processes in photosynthesis, light energy relaxation in dye molecules, aggregates and biologically active molecules, primary photophysical and photochemical processes and photostability of sensitizers, high intensity pulsed laser light interaction with molecules, photochemotherapy of cancer and fluorescence and absorption spectrophotometry of sensitizers used in photosensitized tumour therapy in vivo and in vitro, atomic force microscopy of nanostructures.

Main directions of his activities are: Applied Physics, Biophysics, Biomedical physics, Environmental Physics, Ecology, Nanoscience, Nanophotonics, Biophotonics, Lasers Application in Life Sciences and Spectroscopy.