Biochemical and Molecular Engineering XXIII: Accelerating Biotech Solutions to aid a Changing World

An ECI Conference Series

Dublin, Ireland

July 21 – 25, 2024
Royal Marine Hotel
Dublin, Ireland

About This Conference

Nature hosts an impressive array of chemical structures, proteins, and pathways that humanity has leveraged to make medicines, solvents, materials, and fuels. Advances in synthetic biology have dramatically reduced the cost of DNA synthesis, and enabled rapid prototyping and screening across a wide range of useful hosts. These synthetic tools have advanced the complexity of questions that can be asked and supported the development of systems biology models that more accurately predict phenotypes and facilitate design. Chemical and biological engineers are now using these tools and the knowledge gained with them to tackle Grand Challenges facing society – such as the need for new medicines to fight disease and prevent pandemics, the need for new technologies to improve the sustainability of our industries and address climate change, and the barriers preventing expansion of modern biomanufacturing across the world. The Biochemical and Molecular Engineering conference series brings together researchers from across engineering disciplines and the natural sciences to discuss recent progress in this broad field, network with experts across a wide range of specialties, and brainstorm new approaches to address global challenges facing biotechnology and society at large. This will be the twenty third edition of a conference series dating back to the dawn of the recombinant DNA era. This year the steering committee is thrilled to hold the meeting in Ireland – an emerging hub for biotechnology and biopharma, where we aim to expand our network and form a bridge between North American and European biotech. We hope you will consider joining us for a week of fun, vigorous scientific discourse in the friendly atmosphere of Dublin, Ireland. Please spread the word to your colleagues, particularly your younger colleagues, so the 2024 meeting can add to the long list of successful meetings in this series. 

Conference Organization

Chairs

Michelle O’Malley
University of California at Santa Barbara

Brian Pfleger
University of Wisconsin

Varnika Roy
GSK

Previous Conferences in this Series

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Kelvin Lee, University of Delaware, USA
Dr. Corinne Scown, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
Dr. Henk Noorman, DSM, The Netherlands

Conference Sessions

Call for Abstracts

Please choose one or more of the following topics of interest to pre-select up to three sessions where you believe your work fits best: 

  • Synthetic & Systems Biology
  • Biomanufacturing: from small molecules to new medicines
  • Protein & Metabolic Engineering
  • Automation in Biotech
  • Sustainability in Biotech
  • Building the Biotech Workforce
  • In vitro models & Cell Therapies
  • Democratizing Biotechnology

Abstracts (one page maximum) that include specific results and conclusions to allow a scientific assessment of the proposed oral presentation are invited.  

Abstracts must be submitted electronically and prepare according to this template:  docx or doc.

Oral abstract submission deadline: March 15, 2024

Poster abstract submission deadline: May 1, 2024

Abstracts of all presentations will be made available to conference participants prior to the start  of the conference.

Note: Only a limited number of oral presentation slots are available and thus all submissions for oral sessions will be considered for both oral and poster presentation.

Awards will be presented to the top non-student poster as well as the top three student posters.

Call for Nominations for Amgen Award

Purpose

The Amgen Award (supported by Amgen, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, a leading biotechnology company with pioneering human therapeutic products) is given in memory of James E. Bailey to recognize research excellence and leadership in Biochemical and Molecular  Engineering. The award nominations will be judged according to criteria as set forth in this document.

Award

For each conference, an award of $5000 cash and a commemorative plaque will be presented from Amgen to the recipient at the conference.

Eligibility

This Award is open to all researchers (scientists and engineers from industry, academia and government) in the Biochemical and Molecular Engineering field. It is expected that the award recipient will register and attend the conference. Amgen employees are not eligible for the award.

Evaluation

Nomination packages will be evaluated by a committee established by the conference chairs or designee.

Criteria

The nominations will be judged on the originality and overall quality of work, significance to the advancement of the field of Biochemical and Molecular Engineering, and other supporting information in the nomination package.

Nomination Package

The nomination package must consist of the following items:

  1. nomination cover sheets
  2. a nomination letter of no more than 4 pages including a description of the nominee’s contributions to the field of Biochemical and Molecular Engineering
  3. a resume including publications by the nominee
  4. a maximum of three supporting letters from individuals in the field

The nomination cover sheet(s) should contain the following information:

  1. Name of nominee
  2. Present position (exact title)
  3. Mailing address (including phone numbers and email)
  4. Education
    • Institutions, including major or field,  degrees received and year of each degree
  5. Positions held
    • Company or institution, including time period
    • Position or title
  6. Academic and professional honors and awards
  7. Technical and professional society memberships and offices held
  8. Nominator’s name, address, phone numbers and email
  9. Nominator’s signature with date

The COMPLETE NOMINATION PACKAGE should be submitted in an electronic form AS A SINGLE PDF FILE WITH THE NAME OF THE NOMINEE, and should include the scanned, signed letters of support. 

Nomination packages should be sent by March 15, 2024 to:

ECI Executive Director, Barbara Hickernell
Email: Barbara@engconfintl.org
Subject line should read AMGEN Award and list the name of the nominee.
Nominations will be acknowledged. 

Venue Information

The historic Royal Marine Hotel is situated on an elevated site overlooking  Dublin Bay in the coastal town of Dun Laoghaire (often phonetically pronounced Dunleary), a small town on the east coast of Ireland, about 11 km (7 miles) south of Dublin.  The focal point of the town is an attractive harbor (a five-minute walk from the hotel) and seafront.  The town has an easy 20-minute access to Dublin city and all its tourist attractions through the DART (Dublln Area Rapid Transit) suburban train service (a station that is a four-minute walk from the hotel) and other transportation links, including a direct coach service from Dublin airport that stops directly outside the front of the Royal Marine Hotel.

Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

The Royal Marine Hotel occupies both a modern building and an ornate 19th-century structure with marble columns and a carved wooden staircase, opened in 1865, but probably dates back to 1828, and has commanding views of the sea and Dublin Bay.  It is regarded as one of the finest 4* hotels in Dublin.  The hotel, with its 228 rooms, boasts a range of high quality rooms and top class features, including Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minifridges, three bars and a lounge, a spa, a heated pool, sauna and steam room and complimentary parking.  There are plenty of beautiful coastal and countryside walks, including Peoples Park, in the immediate vicinity.  Free parking is available at the hotel.

Royal Marine Hotel Room

The conference will be held at the hotel’s Carlisle Conference Center.

Parking: The hotel has over 300 parking spaces available.

Nearby Sightseeing:

  • Dublin Bay Cruises (200 meters east of hotel)
  • National Maritime Museum (50 meters east of hotel)
  • Dun Laoghaire (0.25 miles north of hotel)
  • James Joyce Museum, Sandycove (0.75 miles east of hotel)
  • Dalkey Castle and Heritage Center (1.50 miles southeast of hotel)

General Notes

  • The Euro (€) is the currency in Ireland.
  • Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted.
  • Ireland has variable weather – that’s why it is so green!
  • Electricity: 240 Volts AV Plug type: 3 large flat prong British type plug
  • Ireland has a strict ban on smoking.

Shopping: Monday-Saturday, 09:00-18:00 with later hours on Thursday; Major stores open on Sunday, 10:30-18:00

Tipping is a generally accepted practice in restaurants, bars, taxis and hotel rooms.  Check your restaurant bill to see if a service charge has been added.

James Joyce Tower

The James Joyce Tower and Museum is a Martello tower in Sandycove, Dublin, where James Joyce spent six nights in 1904. The opening scenes of his 1922 novel Ulysses take place here, and the tower is a place of pilgrimage for Joyce enthusiasts, especially on Bloomsday.

Transportation

How to get to the Royal Marine Hotel (Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, A96 K063; Phone: +353-1-23000030):

Taxi: There are a large number of taxi services available in Dun Laoghaire.  Taxis from the Dublin Airport to Dun Laoghaire are readily available outside the Arrivals Hall.

Air Coach (from/to Dublin Airport): Route 703: Dublin Airport to Killiney/Dalkey.  Hourly aircoach service to and from the hotel front door to Dublin Airport takes approximately 45 minutes.  For more information, including a timetable, please go to www.aircoach.ie.

Dublin Bus: Dublin Bus offers a high-frequency, accessible and easy to use service all over Dublin.  A number of services operate close to the Royal Marine Hotel.  Bus routes that serve Dun Laoghaire and the Royal Marine Hotel: 7, 7a, 45a, 46a, 59, 63 and 75.

DART and Rail: Both the DART and mainline train provide an excellent service from many parts of Dublin to the city center.  The Dun Laoghaire DART station is a 4 minute walk from the Royal Marine Hotel.

Parking: The hotel has over 300 parking spaces available.

NSF Dear Colleague Letter NSF 24-057

NSF Dear Colleague Letter NSF 24-057

The National Science Foundation has issued a Dear Colleague Letter to notify the community of the continuation of a collaboration with Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to offer supplemental funding to support NRT trainees to pursue additional training in Ireland in collaboration with the SFI Centres for Research Training. Supplemental funds can be used for reasonable expenses such as those associated with international travel to Ireland, accommodation and living expenses, local travel costs, attending and/or presenting at a professional society meeting/conference, participating in a workshop, or engaging in career development training, as long as the activity enhances technical or professional development skills and is well justified. Eligibility is limited to NRT-funded or non-NRT-funded trainees in an active NRT program that is beyond its first year and not in a no-cost extension. 

Sponsors

NIIMBL

Sponsor Information

General Information about ECI

Engineering Conferences International (ECI) is a not-for-profit, global engineering conferences program, originally established in 1962 that provides opportunities for the exploration of problems and issues of concern to engineers and scientists from many disciplines.

The format of the conference provides morning and late afternoon or evening sessions in which major presentations are made. Poster sessions will be scheduled for evening discussion as well. Available time is included during the afternoons for ad hoc meetings, informal discussions, and/or recreation. This format is designed to enhance rapport among participants and promote dialogue on the development of the meeting. We believe the conferences have been instrumental in generating ideas and disseminating information to a greater extent than is possible through more conventional forums.

All participants are expected both to attend the entire conference and to contribute actively to the discussions. The recording/photographing of lectures and presentations is forbidden. As ECI conferences take place in an informal atmosphere, casual clothing is the usual attire.

Smoking is prohibited at ECI conferences and conference functions.

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