Natural Product Biotechnology 2014

Natural Product Biotechnology is a significant new conference for people with a range of interests in high value natural products, their application in drug discovery, improving diet and health, and also their use in a range of other biotech industries, such as bioenergy processes, consumer goods and personal care products.

Submission of papers is now invited to include, but not limited, to the areas outlined below, and abstracts from multi-disciplinary teams will be welcomed. The range of topics reflects the ambition to host an inclusive conference, covering many areas with a connection to natural bioactive compounds. While it is anticipated that the final programme may concentrate on species from Northern temperate climates, abstracts referring to plants or marine species from other regions are also relevant.

Main conference themes

• Identification: The isolation and characterisation of bioactive compounds from wild plants, crop species, the marine environment and microbial sources. Approaches to screening for promising substances.
• In vivo and in vitro methods for scaling up production: Plant science, agronomy and forestry; marine biology and aquaculture; sustainability and potential for exploitation of wild sources. Consistency of supply. Process chemistry and bioprocessing.
• Testing and development: Formulation science and delivery approaches, especially handling and processing technologies which protect natural ingredients. Testing and developing new products and new applications for known compounds. The structural functions of natural ingredients. The use of natural products in the food and health arena, for example in food technology, functional foods and nutraceuticals. Demonstrating effectiveness in clinical conditions, clinical trials, health claims and intervention studies. Population benefits of dietary constituents and other public health considerations.
• Other relevant topics: The place of natural product biotechnology and high value materials in bioenergy; dealing with waste, environmental remediation, and other innovative applications; regulatory science, and legal considerations; the impact of natural product exploitation on biodiversity, water and energy resources and other environmental considerations; approaches to improving product development pathways.

The conference’s scientific steering group will offer the authors of selected abstracts either the chance to make an oral presentation to the conference or to display a research poster.

Individual researchers and groups are also invited to consider submitting a proposal for a workshop session, to give them an extended opportunity to discuss their work with other delegates.

More information is on the Natural Product Biotechnology website where you can also find details of how to submit a paper. Early bird registration for the conference is also now available.