Expat to lead UK firms to AusBiotech conference

Delegates from 10 UK biotechnology companies will attend the upcoming AusBiotech 2003 conference in Adelaide, led by expatriate Australian Dr John Sime, currently the director of research support and development at Imperial College, London.

Sime has had a long history of involvement in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, including executive roles at SmithKline Beecham. He was CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Association (UK) for nearly six years, and co-founder of EuropaBio, the pan-European trade association for European biotechnology.

According to Trade Partners UK biotechnology trade promotion manager Rob Hemming, British biotechnology companies are very interested in partnering with Australian biotechnology companies, particularly at the R&D level.

"The good thing about Australian biotechnology is that it has the quality and standards, but at a lower cost to Europe," Hemming said.

Participating UK companies and organisations include Imperial College London, People in Health, SR Pharma, Xcellsyz, Managing Resources, R&B HealthCare, Solutia, Hunter-Fleming and Cobra Biomanufacturing.

Trade Partners UK and InvestUK will be exhibitors at the conference.