Global Partnerships

UQ-TUM Bioeconomy Symposium

4-6 October 2017

 

 

Senate Room, Brian Wilson Chancellery (61A)

ViewPoint Room, Building 33

The overarching bioeconomy theme of the symposium is intended to reflect a global interest in achieving a sustainable bioeconomy and will explore key measures and challenges identified by the OECD and European Commission as outlined in Germany's National Research Strategy 2030. There will be a focus on the production of healthy and safe foods, sustainable agricultural production, renewable resources and biomaterials for industry, biotechnoology and bioprocesses engineering, along with the development of biomass-based energy centres.

 

Titled 'The Impact of Biotechnology on the Economy of the Future', the Symposium intends to address key session streams relative to:

  • The application of biotechnology to food and health
  • Partnering for global impact – career development and mobility
  • Industrial biotechnology
  • Biomass, metabolism and biocatalysis

Key themes

The application of biotechnology to food and health
In this session we will look at examples and case studies how biotechnology/biological strategies can be applied to assess and improve the nutritional quality of food. Experts from TUM and UQ will present and discuss their exciting results in this crucial research area.
Partnering for global impact – career development and mobility
This session is designed to support PhD and Early Career Researchers explore mechanisms that support outreach and engagement opportunities. Topics to be covered will include UQ’s approach to research impact, training and mobility. A special panel of representatives from UQ and TUM will address some of their personal experiences, highlighting the key challenges and barriers faced as they advance their academic career paths. Opportunities to access mobility funding and to align with strategic initiatives across TUM and UQ will also be explored.
Industrial biotechnology
Industrial biotechnology, frequently referred to as the third wave in biotechnology, encompasses a set of practices and strategies that exploit the potential of living cells or components of cells such as enzymes, to generate a growing list of products relevant to the energy, food and health industries. In this session we will hear exciting presentations from world leaders in this area, covering topics from the discovery of relevant processes at the molecular level to applications relevant to diverse industries.
Biomass, metabolism, and biocatalysis
In this session we will look at examples how Biotechnology can be applied to harness the metabolic capability of plant and microbial biomass to produce compounds and drive important enzymatic processes. The presenters are experts in understanding the metabolic potential of living systems and will showcase how this knowledge can be applied to achieve exciting outcomes in the emerging bioeconomy.

Keynote speakers

Professor Carlos Eduardo Vergani
Chief of Staff, São Paulo State University (UNESP)
Mr Glenn Cross
Chief Executive Officer, AusBiotech
Professor Robert Henry
Director, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI)

Plenary speakers

Dr Michael Rosemann
Honorary Consul for Germany in Brisbane, and Executive Director, Corporate Engagement, Division of International and Development, Queensland University of Technology
Professor Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin
Director, Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München
Professor Thomas Brück
Associate Professor, Industrial Biocatalysis, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich

Program overview

Time Activity
8.45-9.00am
 Registration
9.00-9.10am
 Welcome Address: Professor Peter Høj, President and Vice-Chancellor, UQ
9.10-9.20am
 Welcome Address: Professor Dr Volker Sieber, Chair of Biogenic Resources, and Vice-Dean, TUM School of Life Sciences
9.20-9.40am

Profiling German-Australian Science and Innovation Achievements

Professor Michael Rosemann, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Brisbane
9.40-10.20am
 Keynote Speaker: Professor Carlos Vergani, Chief of Staff, São Paulo State University, Brazil
10.20-11.00am
 Morning tea
11.00-11.40am
 Keynote Speaker: Mr Glenn Cross, CEO AusBiotech 
11.40-12.20pm

Plenary presentation: Professor Dr. Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Director, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum München
12.20-1.30pm
 Lunch
1.30-3.30pm
 Session One - The Application of Biotechnology to Food and Health
3.30-4.00pm
 Afternoon tea 
4.00-4.20pm 

Creating a Meaningful Global Footprint - An Overview of the UQ-TUM Premier Partnership

Dr Jessica Gallagher, Director, Global Engagement
4.20-4.25pm
 Closing remarks
4.25-5.15pm 
 St Lucia Campus Tour
5.30-8.30pm
 Cocktail Reception – UQ Art Museum (Invitation only)

Time Activity
8.45-9.00am Registration
9.00-9.10am Welcome Address: Dr Jessica Gallagher, Director, Global Engagement
9.10-9.50am

Genomics to Feed and Fuel a Sustainable Planet

Keynote Speaker: Professor Robert Henry, Director, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation (QAAFI)
9.50-10.20am

Session Two: Partnering for Global Impact - Career Development and Mobility

10.20-10.40am

Morning tea
10.40-11.30am Session Two Continued 
11:30-1.00pm Lunch with PhD Poster Session
1.00-2.45pm

Session Three: Industrial Biotechnology

2.45-3.10pm Afternoon tea
3.10-4.35pm

Session Four: Biomass, Metabolism and Biocatalysis

4.35-5.20pm Closing Discussion:  Future Directions – Working together to address global challenges

*TUM delegates only

Time Activity
9.00am Bus departs hotel
10.00-10.30am Tour of Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) 
10.30-10.45am Morning tea
10.45-11.15am Tour of Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences (CNAFS) 
11.15am Bus transfer
12.00-1.30pm Lunch at Wild Canary Restaurant
1.30pm Bus transfer
1.45-2.30pm Tour of UQ Algae Energy Farm
2.30pm Bus transfer
2.45-3.30pm Tour of UQ Centre for Solar Biotechnology
3.30 Bus tranfer back to hotel

UQ-Germany news

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Event contact

Simone Kerger, International Visits and Events Officer, UQ Global Engagement