Singapore, 6 October 2006 - International experts and biomedical leaders today gathered in Singapore for a three-day seminar to discuss the state of biotechnology development, and to share their vision for the future with post-graduate students from 17 countries. They will shed light on regional and local developments in biomedical R&D, and provide insights on the future of the sector in the booming Asian marketplace. A panel discussion will also explore the future of biotechnology in Singapore.
Held for the first time in Singapore, the 2006 Novartis International Biotechnology Leadership Camp (Biocamp 2006) counts in its speaker line-up top officials from the Ministry of Health; Economic Development Board's Biomedical Sciences Group; Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD); Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS); Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB); National University of Singapore and Egon Zehnder International. Thirty-four participants from top universities and business schools will meet and interact with renowned experts such as Paul Herrling (Chairman, NITD), Sir David Lane (Executive Director, IMCB) and Edison Liu (Executive Director, GIS).
“Novartis believes that talent with a global vision is the pillar of biotechnology development. Through Biocamp, we aim to support Asia-Pacific countries in their local development of biotechnology by stimulating interest in the industry and creating opportunities for experts and talent to come together. Biocamp facilitates networking, the exchange of ideas, knowledge and expertise, and promotes regional co-operation,” said Stefan Ziegler, Region Head, Asia/Pacific.
Biocamp was initiated in 2004 as a way of giving back to the societies in which Novartis operates. “As a world-leading pharmaceutical company, we believe in being a responsible citizen wherever we are able to do so,” Ziegler added. “Through Biocamp, we want to create a platform which promotes innovation and will therefore benefit patients in the long run.”
It is befitting that this year's Biocamp is being held in Singapore, which has earned the reputation as a biomedical hub, attracting some of the world's top talent in the sector. Speaking at the opening of Biocamp 2006, A*STAR Chairman Philip Yeo underlined the government's support for Biocamp. "I am very happy that Novartis has chosen to hold its international Biocamp here in Singapore this year, bringing together high potential post-graduate students from all over the world. It is very much in line with Singapore's vision to be an international biomedical sciences cluster, with a rapidly growing base of global scientific talent and partnerships with industry leaders, such as Novartis."
About Biocamp
Biocamp is an annual biotechnology seminar for post-graduate students with high management and leadership potential. Held for the first time in Taiwan in 2004, its three-day programme offers participants the chance to gain a broader view of the biotechnology sector, focusing on the sector's development globally and across Asia-Pacific. Biocamp provides a rare opportunity for students interested in biotechnology to interact with their peers, experts from academia, the industry and government officials. Participating countries hold local Biocamps, and one or two top students from each country are selected to participate in the international programme held in a different country each year. Biocamp 2006 participants come from Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and include Singapore-based post-graduate students from China, France, Hungary, India, Israel, and the United Kingdom.
About Novartis
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in offering medicines to protect health, treat disease and improve well-being. Our goal is to discover, develop and successfully market innovative products to treat patients, ease suffering and enhance the quality of life. Novartis is the only company with leadership positions in both patented and generic pharmaceuticals. We are strengthening our medicine-based portfolio, which is focused on strategic growth platforms in innovation-driven pharmaceuticals, high-quality and low-cost generics, human vaccines and leading self-medication OTC brands. In 2005, the Group's businesses achieved net sales of USD 32.2 billion and net income of USD 6.1 billion. Approximately USD 4.8 billion was invested in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 97,000 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world.
For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
Publication Date: 2006-10-09 02:00
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