Biomass to Biofuels: Strategies for Global Industries

Dr Alain Vertes is based in the Microbiology Research Group at the Research Institute of Innovative Technology (RIIT) in Kyoto, Japan.? Dr Vertes received his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and in 2004 received his MBA as a Sloan Fellow from the London Business School.? His industrial experience includes working with Mitsubishi, Eli Lilly and in Nov 2001 he joined RIIT as a Senior Researcher. In May 2002 he was appointed Portfolio Head, Strategic Alliances for Pfizer in France and took up the position of Pharmaceuticals, Director, Strategic Alliances at Pfizer UK in October 2004. In April 2005 he returned to the Research Institute of Innovative Technology in Kyoto where he is a Senior Research working on biotechnology start-ups in the field of energy and chemical production.

Dr Nasib Qureshi received his first Ph.D. in 1985 in Fermentation Technology from Bombay University, and a further Ph.D. in 1997 in Chemical & Biological Engineering from the University of Nebraska. He is currently a chemical engineer in fermentation and biotechnology at the USDA in Peoria, IL, as well as Affiliate Faculty, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. He has been honored by "Superior Performance Awards" National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (USDA) 2004, 2005, 2006; He has served as Editor for the "World Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology" in 2006 and has also been an editorial board member for "Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology" (2001-present), "World Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology" (2001-2003), "Energy Sources" (2001-present), and "Renewable Energy" (2001-present). He has published over 90 refereed papers/review articles and five book chapters.

Professor H.P. Blaschek, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois. He obtained his B.Sc. from Rutgers College in 1974, and MSc and PhD in Food Microbiology. He joined the faculty in the Dept of Food Science at the University of Illinois in 1980 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1986 and full Professor in 1991. He teaches Food and Industrial Microbiology, Advanced Food Microbiology, and Food Microbiology for Non-Majors and ? He is currently a member of the College of ACES Academy of Teaching Excellence and served as secretary to the ACES Executive Committee. He also has served as Panel Manager for the USDA NRI competitive grants program in the Value-added non-foods and biofuels areas.