About Us | Press Releases | 2007 | October 10

VBI EXECUTIVE AND SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR SPEAKS TO BIO IT COALITION

Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) Executive and Scientific Director, Dr. Bruno Sobral, was the featured speaker at the BIO IT Coalition's September luncheon meeting on September 19, 2007.  His talk, entitled "VBI: A Transdisciplinary Scientific Collaborative in Life Sciences", highlighted VBI's vision to create a collaborative transdisciplinary research culture conducive to the development of new life science technologies and knowledge.

Dr. Sobral presented the institute's history, goals, strategies, achievements, and methods of program development and implementation.  He explained how VBI has met the scientific and financial goals established when the institute was founded seven years ago and defined what must be done for continued future success.  According to Dr. Sobral, VBI's current and future programs hinge on the use of transdisciplinary scientific collaboration i.e. researchers from different disciplines working together using a shared conceptual framework.  A strategy has been developed around this goal of working on large-scale transdisciplinary projects and involves the integration of an infectious disease focus, modeling and simulation experimentation, business development, and high- performance scientific services and institutional resources.  "The fact that we have this world class, highly agile and revolutionary organization here in Virginia will help our regional economy thrive," said Steve Mandell, Chair of the BIO IT Coalition and a partner at Pepper Hamilton LLP.  He continued,  "The BIO IT Coalition looks forward to working with Dr. Sobral and others at VBI to help organizations commercialize innovation, in new ways, in the bio/IT arena."

BIO IT Coalition monthly and annual events feature high-quality speakers from the life sciences and information technology sectors.  Attendees of these events are given ample opportunity to network with each other and meet speakers and presenters in complementary fields.

The BIO IT Coalition bridges the life sciences and information technology industries to promote the growth of the bio/IT industry through interactive, content-driven programs which highlight innovation, investment, education, collaboration and partnership.  This industry expansion will result in faster development and delivery of new therapies and diagnostics, better patient care, and other life science related technologies, goods and services.