Opinion
Biotechnology and sustainability: the role of transatlantic cooperation in research and innovation

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Life sciences and biotechnology are increasingly providing sustainable solutions in a wide range of areas from medicine to industry, agriculture and the environment. The United States and Europe are the two largest regions in which the revolution in life sciences and biotechnology has been taking place. Established in 1990, the EC–US Task Force on Biotechnology Research has provided a fruitful forum for the exchange of information, for the discussion of ideas and for the joint sponsoring of research activities between the US and the European Union.

Introduction

Researchers in life sciences and biotechnology have witnessed major achievements over the past decade, with the sequencing of many genomes, including the human genome, and the development of advanced technologies enabling accelerated sequencing and understanding of genomic information. As world leaders in research and technological development, both the European Union and the United States have been at the forefront of this revolution in life sciences and biotechnology. As early as the late 1980s, both regions recognized the need for cooperation and coordination. Hence, in 1990, they established the EC–US Task Force on Biotechnology Research, a forum for scientific discussion and the exchange of ideas. More recently, transatlantic research cooperation on bio-based products has flourished, enabling an evolution from a petroleum-based economy to a sustainable bio-based economy. This paper describes some examples of transatlantic research and innovation cooperation initiatives in the area of biotechnology and sustainability.

Section snippets

The situation in Europe

Biotechnology plays an increasingly important role in the health sector, and the industrial landscape in Europe and elsewhere is steadily being transformed by the penetration of biotechnology into a large number of industries and sectors, including the production of food, chemicals, textiles, pulp and paper, and energy. The advancement of knowledge about the sustainable management, production and use of biological resources (i.e. microbial, plant and animal) provides the basis for safer,

Biotechnology and the European KBBE

The primary objective of the theme ‘Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology’ of Framework Programme 7 of the European Union is to build a European KBBE by bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders to exploit new and emerging research opportunities that address social, environmental and economic challenges (http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/kbbe/home_en.html). This theme has an overall budget of €1.9 million for the period between 2007 and 2013. The term ‘bio-economy’ includes all

Recent US initiatives related to biotechnology and sustainability

In the US, life sciences and biotechnological research is funded by several research agencies and government departments, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes for Health, the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Agriculture. Although each funding agency has clearly defined objectives and funding modalities, the Office of Science and Technology Policy ensures the coordination of their activities. In addition, the US biotech industry, one of the most

The EC–US task force on biotechnology research

In the late 1980s, this emerging area, today termed a ‘megascience’, was recognized as one requiring cooperation and coordination. In 1990, the EC and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy established a forum called the EC–US Task Force on Biotechnology Research. This group aims to facilitate scientific discussions and the exchange of ideas between and within the EU and US (http://ec.europa.eu/research/biotechnology/ec-us/index_en.html).

Although the EC has a clear mission

The EPOBIO initiative

The EC–US Task Force on Biotechnology Research sponsored several workshops dedicated to research on bio-based products, and these workshops provided the foundations for the EPOBIO initiative. This is a ‘science-to-support’ policy project entitled ‘Realizing the Economic Potential of Sustainable Resources – Bioproducts from Non-food Crops’ and funded by the Framework Programme 6 (2002–2006) of the European Union (http://www.epobio.net). Within the EPOBIO, partners from the EU and the US, from

Conclusions and future directions

Since the establishment of the EC–US Task-Force on Biotechnology Research in 1990, transatlantic research cooperation has expanded its scope through the conclusion of a broader EC–US science and technology cooperation agreement. Transatlantic research cooperation has also intensified, with the exchange of scientific information and the conduct of joint research projects. Building on a series of transatlantic workshops dedicated to bio-based products research, the 2007 European Commission call

Disclaimer

This publication expresses the views of the author and should not be regarded as a statement of the official position of the European Commission nor of its Directorate General for Research.

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