Description

As for several years now, the New Year's reception is combined with an activity. After ample opportunity to talk to each other and exchange New Year's wishes, a fascinating presentation in two parts will follow. Developments in our future food and our future fuel are topics that everyone wants to know about. The presentation is divided into two parts so that in between, in a spacious break, everyone has a chance to catch up with acquaintances.

In the first part of the presentation, Patricia Osseweijer states that with the enormous developments in technology, it is increasingly possible to make micro-organisms that do exactly what we want. This is wonderful because microorganisms are generally clean producers, they use biological raw materials for their growth and can make products that have special value such as penicillin, insulin and other pharmaceutical ingredients. But they can also be used for the sustainable production of chemicals and biofuels previously produced with oil feedstocks. In 2002, the Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation embarked on an ambitious programme to better understand and apply the three main workhorses, yeasts, fungi and lactic acid bacteria of the fermentation industry. With a hefty government grant of 32 MEuro, a number of universities and research institutes have teamed up to bring in the latest genomics technology. This has already yielded remarkable results that are important for our Dutch fermentation industry, including DSM, Friesland Foods, Purac, Nedalco and Heineken. For instance, we can now have folic acid and vitamin B12 made by yoghurt bacteria themselves, and we have created a yeast that can produce biofuel (bioethanol) from waste products. The first part of the lecture gives an inside look at the Kluyver Centre.

In the second part, we look even further into the future and deeper into the public debate. Because, as daily newspapers show, not all applications are equally desirable. For instance, using biomass to produce biofuels can generate food and water problems. And the wonderful techniques for making entirely new organisms can also pose dangers that we cannot yet foresee. The Centre pays explicit attention to this public discussion. In her own captivating way, Patricia Osseweijer is going to list with us which social issues are important to whom. To start the year, we will consider how and in what role we, as scientists and engineers, can contribute to unravelling these issues and how we can help improve the dialogue between the public and science. Communication provides new insights that lead to new ways, solutions and decision-making on societal issues.
The entire evening has a festive

PROGRAMME
7.30pm - the hall will open
8.00pm - start of the president's speech
10.00pm - conclusion of the reception

Speaker(s)

Dr Patricia Osseweijer, Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial fermentation Delft University of Technology.

SPECIES
There is no maximum number of participants. members and their guest(s) are welcome.

Location

Zalencentrum Prinsenhof, Hoofdstraat 43, Best

Organiser

Region South

Name and contact details for information

Information concerning the lecture at ing. G van Heijst, tel.: 06 557 44 063 or with drs. ing Cor van den Bosch, tel.: (0499) 33 00 44 (p) / 0032 473955987 (z).