Regional Young Scientists Conference on Plants for Food, Health and Fuel

Over 130 participants including eminent researchers in the field of agricultural biotechnology from some 11 countries gathered to present ideas and discuss findings on plant-based renewable resources at a conference jointly organised by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) under the auspices of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World - Regional Office for East and South East Asia and the Pacific (TWAS-ROSEAP) at a hotel in Petaling Jaya.

Present to officiate the Opening Ceremony of the TWAS Regional Young Scientists Conference on 3 November 2009 was Malaysian Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Tuan Haji Fadillah Yusof. In his speech, Tuan Haji Fadillah said, "With the world's population forecasted to grow from six to nine billion over the next 50 years, diminishing fossil resources and the need for food, demand for bio-fuels and bio-materials from renewable, plant-based resources will certainly increase."

He emphasised the importance of advancements in the areas of biotechnology and plant genomics, breakthroughs in finding a solution as well as the use of renewable energy to assist developing countries in tackling such challenges.

He elaborated, "Among the renewable resources, biomass has become one of the most important materials not only for food but also for energy, as it can be obtained from plants of diverse origins." He added that conferences such as the TWAS Regional Young Scientists Conference were vital as they would be able to highlight the progress achieved in the understanding of improved production of biomass for food, medicine and bio-fuels needs while at the same time maintaining environment and agricultural sustainability.

UTAR Vice President of R&D and Commercialisation , Professor Dr. Lee Sze Wei was also present during the Opening Ceremony. In his speech, he said, "On behalf of UTAR, we are indeed honoured to be one of the co-organisers for the TWAS Regional Young Scientists Conference. As a research-focused University, UTAR strongly encourages its staff and researchers to be involved in cutting-edge research with significant socio-economic impact."

"A Conference such as this will undoubtedly provide a platform for both speakers and participants, especially young scientists below the age of 45, to share common experiences and to update their knowledge on agricultural biotechnology," he added.

Prof. Lee said, "The theme of this Conference 'Food, Health and Fuel: Plants for the Future' is not only timely but also serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of the role of agricultural biotechnology in ensuring food security and production of bioenergy, especially in developing countries."

Organising Committee Chairperson of the conference and UTAR Adjunct Faculty, Professor Dr. Farida Shah said, "The aim of this Conference is to discuss recent progress in the production of biomass and the uses of new biotechnological approaches to increase yields for food in terms of nutritional, medicinal needs and fuel, and to achieve the challenge of supplying bio-based products derived from plants for food, fuel and health needs".

The TWAS Regional Young Scientists Conference Opening Ceremony included a poster tour which showcased the research works and findings of talented young scientists.

The four-day conference held from 2-5 November 2009 will see 25 oral presentations and over 50 posters presentations by young scientists from the region.