DOE JGI Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting set for March 22-24, 2011

Researchers from all over the world will be at the Marriott in Walnut Creek for the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute 6th Annual Meeting, which will feature genomics research in the fields of clean energy generation and the environment. Keynote speeches will be delivered by Persis Drell, director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, and microbial ecologist Terry Hazen of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Since 2005, the DOE Joint Genome Institute has focused on the application of genomics to bioenergy and environmental issues. Organisms are selected for sequencing based on their relevance to the DOE missions, judged by an independent peer review process. Many of the projects are related to clean energy generation and focus one of three key aspects: the development of biofuel feedstocks; the identification of enzymes that can effectively break down plant fibers into sugar; and the development of processes to ferment plant-derived sugars into liquid biofuel.

The annual meeting draws several hundred attendees from around the world. For further information, visit http://go.usa.gov/48J.

Professional media and students interested in attending the meeting (with the registration fee waived) should contact DOE Joint Genome Institute Public Affairs Manager David Gilbert: degilbert@lbl.gov

WHO: Students and researchers working in the fields of genomics, bioenergy, carbon cycling and biogeochemistry, as well as professional media

WHAT: 6th Annual User Meeting on Genomics of Energy & Environment

WHERE: Marriott in Walnut Creek (2355 North Main Street, Walnut Creek, California 94596)

WHEN: 5 pm, Tuesday, March 22, 2011 to 5 pm, Thursday, March 24, 2011

Provided by DOE/Joint Genome Institute