Congress: Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering

Friday, October 1, 2004

 

Preliminary Program

 

 

7:30 - 8:30 AM                     Registration

 

8:30 - 8:45 AM                     Welcome Remarks                                                                      Convention Center

•    Dr. Rosa Buxeda, Coordinator, Industrial Biotechnology Program

       University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez

•     Dr. Nelson Cardona Martínez, Chairman, Department of Chemical Engineering

                University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Dr. Jorge I. Vélez Arocho, Chancellor, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Eng. Daneris Fernández, Vice President, Merck Sharp and Dohme

•      Eng. Madhu Balachandran, Vice President, Amgen

 

8:45 - 10:30 AM                    Current Trends in Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Engineering

Session Chair: Dr. Carlos Rinaldi

•      Dr. Efi Cohen-Arazi, VP Corporate Manufacturing, Amgen Manufacturing, Limited

•      Dr. Steven Poehlein, Senior Director TO, Merck Co., Inc.

•      Dr. Ajaz Hussain, Deputy Director, FDA

•      Eng. Carl Soderberg, Director Caribbean Field Office, EPA

•      Dr. Nelson Cardona Martínez, Chairman, Department of Chemical Engineering

       University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Dr. Rosa Buxeda, Coordinator, Industrial Biotechnology Program

       University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

 

10:30 - 10:45 AM                  Break

 

10:45 - 11:15 AM                  Merck Sharp & Dohme Lecture

•      A Perspective on Teaching  Bio in Chemical Engineering: A Decade of Permutations, Current Practice, and Future Implementations, Dr. Wayne R. Curtis, Penn State University

 

11:15 - 12:30 AM                  Technology Drivers in a Knowledge-Based Economy

                                         Session Chair: Dr. Carlos Tollinche

•      Mammalian Cells in Antibodies Manufacturing, Dr. John Ponzo, Manager, Cell Culture Operations, Abbott Bioresearch Center

•      Virus Challenge Studies of a Purification Process in Biotechnology Manufacturing, Ann Villalobos, Research Fellow, Ortho Biologics LLC

•      A Role for the University in Economic Development, Dr. Charles Hamner, Former President, NC Biotechnology Center, Research Triangle Park

•      Optimized Biomolecules from Microbial Diversity & Directed Evolution, Dr. Eric Mathur, VP Scientific Affairs, Diversa Corp.

 

12:30 - 1:30 PM                    Lunch Session: Academia and Government Roles in a Knowledge-based Economy

•      Esq. Antonio García Padilla, President, University of Puerto Rico

•      Dr. Hiram Ramírez, Director, Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company

 

1:30 - 2:30 PM                     CONCURRENT SESSIONS I

 

Flamboyan Room               Biotechnology & Bioprocess Engineering                                               

Session Chair: Dr. Lorenzo Saliceti

•      Process Control Strategies, Dr. David Allen, Manufacturing Science and Technology Manager, Lilly del Caribe, Inc.

•      Integrity Filter Methods for Liquid Filtration Applications, Mr. Felipe Pastrana, Senior Staff Scientist, Pall Life Sciences

•      Using Contemporary Mitochondrial DNA to Study the Precolumbian Migrations that Gave Rise to the Taínos, Dr. Juan C. Martínez-Cruzado, Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

 

Mango Room                     Pharmaceutical Operations and Engineering I                                          

Session Chair: Dr. Carlos Vel‡zquez

•      Powder Blending: Fundamentals, Applications, and Regulatory Evolution, Dr. Fernando Muzzio, Pharmaceutical Engineering Program Director, Rutgers University

•      Fluid Bed Dryer Optimal Control, Dr. Carlos Velázquez, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Pharmaceutical Pilot Plants, Eng. Néstor Vázquez, Pilot Plant Management, Eng. Mervil Cintrón, Chemical Development Engineer Pilot Plant, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Co.

 

Convention Center 1           Educational Trends in Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Engineering        

Session Chair: Dr. Carlos Ríos-Vel‡zquez

•      Science, Business, Law and Ethics: Shaping Leaders for the Biotechnology Industry, Dr. Gail Robertson, University of Wisconsin, Madison

•      Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology, Eng. Carlos E. Bassat, Director, Community Affairs, Merck Sharp & Dohme

•      An Academic Degree for Operators as a Partnership Between Abbott and UPR-Arecibo, Eng. Pablo Vila, Abbott Biotechnology, LTD

 

Victoria Room                    Environmental Engineering

Session Chair: Dr. Jaime Benítez

•      Water and Wastewater Management Trends in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Eng. Joseph G. Cleary, Brown and Caldwell

•      Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor Pilot Studies for Pharmaceutical Wastewaters – Merck Case Study, Eng. Luis Ruiz Deida, Wastewater and Environmental Lab Head, Merck Sharp & Dohme

•      Solid Waste Landfill Management in PR, Eng. Peter Witko and Joe Barbagallo, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., and Eng. Jaime Abreu, Vicenty & Heres

 

Escoffier Room                   Discussion Session: Biotechnology in Puerto RicoÕs Life Sciences Roadmap         

Discussion Chair: Mr. Iv‡n Lugo

•      Puerto Ricons Life Sciences Roadmap in Preparation for Technology Transfer in High-Tech Manufacturing, Mr. Iván Lugo, Director of INDUNIV

•      Cancer Research

•      Biosystems

 

2:30 - 3:30 PM                     CONCURRENT SESSIONS II

 

Escoffier Room                   Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Engineering in Latin America                              

Session Chair: Dr. Govind Nadathur

•      Development of New Model Systems for Heterologous Gene Expression, Dr. Govind Nadathur, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez

•      Genomic Mining at the Loccus of the Growth Hormone, Dr. Hugo Barreras, Universidad Nuevo León Autónoma de México

•      Mixing in Bioreactors, Dr. Mario Álvarez, Director, Center of Biotechnology, Tecnológico de Monterrey

 

Mango Room                     Pharmaceutical Operations and Engineering II              

Session Chair: Eng. Federico Padrón

•      Pharmaceutical Pilot Plants, Dr. Prabir K. Basu, Director, Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Purdue University

•      Modeling Tablet Film-Coating Process for Aqueous and Mixed Aqueous/Organic Formulation Systems, Mary am Ende and Alfred Berchielli, First Global Research and Development, Pfizer, Groton, CT

•      Near-infrared spectroscopic monitoring of fluidized bed granulation: process control and control of granule strength, Dr. Rodolfo Pinal, Director, Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research

 

Convention Center 1           Bioengineering Research and Collaborative Efforts       

Session Chair: Dr. Madeline Torres

•      Examination of the Cytotoxic Effects of Poly (Ethylene Glycol)-Rich Matrices utilizing the Caco-2 Cell Model, Dr. Madeline Torres, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Utilization of Acustic Reflectometry for the Design of Intravenous Catheters, Dr. Eduardo Juan, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Tissue Reaction to Gamma TiAl in in vivo RAT Model, Dr. Paul Sundaraman, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

 

Victoria   Room                   Environmental Biotechnology                                                  

Session Chair: Dr. Arturo Massol

•      Development of an In Situ RT-PCR Protocol to Study Denitrifying Populations from Marine Sediments, Dr. Arturo Massol, Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Connecting Biotechnology and Biodiversity, Leif Christoffersen, Manager, Biodiversity and Grant Administration, Diversa Corporation, San Diego, CA

•      Seasonal Comparisons of Microbial Communities from the Cabo Rojo mats by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (t-RFLP), Dr. Lilliam Casillas-Martínez, University of Puerto Rico – Humacao

 

Flamboyan Room  Biotechnology-based Medical Applications                  

Session Chair: Dr. Belinda Pastrana

•      A Calcium Binding Protein and Its Role in Cell Division and Cancer, Dr. Belinda Pastrana, Chemistry Department, University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

•      Development and In Vitro Expression of Bicistronic and Monocistronic Dengue 4 DNA Vaccine, Mariluz Rodríguez and I. Martínez, University of Puerto Rico – Medical Sciences Campus

 

3:30 - 3:45 PM                     Break

 

3:45 - 4:45 PM                     Panel: Educational Trends in Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Industry Convention Center

                                         Session Chair: Dr. Rosa Buxeda

•      Pharmaceutical Engineering Education: New Opportunities for the Pharmaceutical Industry and its Engineering Workforce, Dr. Fernando Muzzio, Pharmaceutical Engineering Program Director, Rutgers University,

• Future Directions in Chemical Engineering Education: A New Path To Glory, Dr. Arvind Varma, Chairman, Department of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University

•      The Supply of Skills: Current and Future Trends in the Biotechnology Sector, Dr. Betsaida Torres, Puerto Rico Biotechnology Cluster

 

4:45 PM                              Closing Remarks