SoMCC Event

Global climate change and petroleum reserve depletion have driven the need to develop alternative methods of producing fuels and chemical feedstocks. Clearly, these are major challenges of this century.  Current standards and approaches to energy production represent a serious threat to the health of our planet and life as we know it; from a market perspective, this has led to the emergence of the clean-tech industry.  Not surprisingly, the complexity of the challenges this industry faces requires the cooperation and collaboration of experts from many fields, biology, life science, and engineering chief among them.  

AMYRIS BIOTECHNOLOGIES applies radical thinking towards the development of sustainable products, including biofuels, and has achieved much of its success by leveraging skills and expertise across various technical disciplines.  Based on a production processes they initially engineered to scale the development of an anti-malarial drug compound, the company has been able to apply their synthetic biology and engineering capabilities to the efficient production of hydrocarbon-based transportation fuels. 

The history and story of AMYRIS BIOTECHNOLOGIES is a fascinating one, its future bright, and its demand for talented scientists great as it goes through stages of growth and expansion that are the burden of its own success.  Please join us for an opportunity to learn about Amyris directly from co-founder Neil Renninger, and a panel of Amyris scientists to gather insights into the following: 

• In what ways do biotechnology and the life sciences offer solutions to energy problems
• How to recognize if/when research projects hold practical commercial promise
• What sorts/types of collaborations have been most essential to company progress
• Future challenges, directions, and opportunities for current trainees in the industry