Harvard University's George M. Church, Ph.D. to Deliver Keynote Address at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council's ''Discovery Day''; Catalyzing Technologies: Innovative Tools for Biopharmaceutical Success Focus of 2006 Gathering.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC) announced today that George M. Church, Ph.D., Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Lipper Center for Computational Genetics, will deliver the keynote address at the organization's "Discovery Day" scientific meeting taking place on March 8, 2006 at the Sheraton Copley Hotel, Boston. Discovery Day provides an opportunity for local scientists, researchers and industry executives to interact and foster development of new ideas and collaborations.

"We are delighted to have attracted as our keynote speaker such a profound visionary and pioneer as Dr. Church," stated Thomas M. Finneran, president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. "Throughout his long and distinguished career, Dr. Church has greatly influenced so many aspects of the life sciences, particularly in the field of genomics. His work at Harvard has ranged from technology for the first commercial genomic sequence in 1994 to synthetic biology recently, and other tools essential to advancing the success of our industry."

During his career, Dr. Church has focused on integrating biosystems-modeling with high-throughput data for haplotypes, RNA arrays, proteomics, and metabolites. The goal of this research is low cost, accurate and automated personalized medicine and bio-energy engineering.

Dr. Church completed his Ph.D. at Harvard in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with Walter Gilbert, developing the first direct genomic sequencing method in 1984. In that same year, he helped initiate the Human Genome Project. He was then a Research Scientist at the newly formed Biogen Inc., and a Monsanto Life Sciences Research Fellow at UCSF. Dr. Church later helped found the Stanford, MIT, and Waltham Genome Centers. He invented the broadly applied concepts of molecular multiplexing and tags, homologous recombination methods, and array DNA synthesizers. Dr. Church sits on a number of industry advisory boards including Codon Devices, Genomatica, Flagship Ventures, and Receptor Biologix and editor of Nature MSB.

About Discovery Day Science Symposium

The daylong forum will include a number of scientific panels and a roundtable discussion featuring prominent leaders in the region's academic laboratories, teaching hospitals, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. These sessions will offer in-depth analysis and discussions on technologies at all stages, including the power and limitation of current technologies, new approaches to information technology in the life sciences, and an examination of the spectrum of technologies that will enable and improve clinical research.

Further information on Discovery Day, including agenda, speakers and registration can be found by visiting the MBC Web site at: www.massbio.org.

About the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC), founded in 1985, is a not-for-profit organization that provides services and support for more than 440 companies, academic institutions and service organizations involved in biotechnology and healthcare. The MBC is committed to advancing the development of critical new science, technology and medicines that benefit people worldwide. Based in Cambridge, the organization also works with public leaders to advance policy and promote education while providing member programs and services.