Biotechnology Group

The Biotechnology Group is the focal point within the RSC for members who have an academic or industrial interest in the chemical aspects of biotechnology.

The Group was formed in 1987, partly in response to the publication of the Spinks Report in 1980, a government-funded Report of a Joint Working Party on Biotechnology under the chairmanship of Dr. A. Spinks, ICI. The report was to define Biotechnology as the ‘application of biological organisms, systems or processes to manufacturing industry’, a description that would not be contested now in the 21st Century.

Aims

The aim of the Biotechnology Group is to further the interests of both academic and industrial members of the RSC in the subject of biotechnology.

Remit

The remit of the Group is:

To organise conferences and courses that (i) promote the advancement of knowledge in biotechnology and (ii) facilitate networking of its practitioners
To interact with the RSC, the Society for Chemical Industry, the Biochemical Society and other interest groups, as appropriate, to facilitate broad-ranging discussion of biotechnology issues
To interact with subject groups in other RSC Divisions in order to exploit the multi-disciplinary nature of biotechnology to the benefit of the RSC in general
To assist the Industry and Technology Division (ITD) and the Chemistry Biology Interface Division (CBID) in their work with government in order to enhance the understanding of the importance of biotechnology and the role of chemists within this diverse scientific discipline.

Committee Membership

These remits are pursued by a committee of twelve members, steered by an executive committee of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. It is composed of a mix of industrial and academic biotechnologists, who meet three times a year in January, June and October in Burlington House, London.

Conferences

In order to provide Biotechnology Group members and other RSC interest group members access to the latest cutting edge research, a major activity of the Group is to run conferences. This also establishes and encourages interaction between members. We usually run two to three per annum, mostly one-day meetings but occasionally 3-day meetings. The meetings, or series of meetings, run by the Group over the past ten years or so have had the following wide range of titles:

Biotransformations: From Science to Industrial Application
Chemical Tools in Systems Biology I, II, III
Chemistry, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine I, II
Chemical and Biological Therapeutic Approaches to Neurological Disorders I, II, III
Formulation and Analysis for Biotherapeutics
Glycomics - From Glycobiology to Diagnostics & Therapeutics I, II
Translational Biocatalysis
Micro- and Nanotechnologies for Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Biodiversity: New Leads for the Pharmaceutical and Agrochemical Industries
Functional Molecules from Natural Sources
Bioactive Natural Products: Translating Promise into Practice
Nucleic Acids as Diagnostics and Therapies.

In the near future, the Group plans to run conferences covering the following important topics:

Nano/Microtechnologies for Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Bioimaging and Biosensing
Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery and Vaccines
Natural Product Inspired Drugs and Agrochemicals
Crossing the Blood Brain Barrier: From Science to Clinical Application

Courses and Workshops

The Group also runs Courses/Workshops in collaboration with The Bioupdate Foundation with titles such as Freeze Drying of Biologicals and Pharmaceuticals, Protein Biotechnology in the 21st Century, and Introducing Glycotechnology.

In order to keep our members abreast of Group activities, we publish, usually biannually, a Biotechnology Group Newsletter. This lists meetings already run and a website link to a Report/Programme of each meeting so that members who were unable to attend can view the list of speakers and the titles of their talks. It also generates publicity for upcoming meetings which are also listed. Some issues also contain feature articles of interest to members.

How to Join

RSC members can join the Biotechnology Group by updating their details in the “My communities and subscriptions” tab of the online RSC membership area. Please click here to login and add to your list of Interest Groups.

Quick links

Awards

The Biotechnology Group awards the Felix Franks Biotechnology Medal to encourage and recognise excellence in early career scientists.

Forthcoming events

Forthcoming events organised by the Biotechnology Group.

What is Biotechnology

A non-profit educational research which provides information on what biotechnology is, who has been involved in its development, and the impact it has on healthcare. Since its launch in February 2013, the website has had nearly 60,000 visitors from around the world, including school children, policy makers, industry experts, scientists and financial investors.

Contact the Secretary

For further information on the Biotechnology Group you can contact the Secretary, Dr Colin Bedford FRSC.

Support for interest groups

Useful information and resources for all RSC interest groups.

Downloadable files

Biotechnology Group Newsletter - Spring 2024

Executive Committee

Chair

Professor Paul Race MRSC

University of Bristol

Secretary

Dr Colin Bedford FRSC

University College London

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Treasurer

Dr Steven Burston MRSC