Manager of the Third Biotechnology Festival has said Iran’s share of global biotechnology market is half a billion dollars.
Sirous Zeinali told MNA on Sunday that biotechnology had wide applications in medicine, agriculture, environment, and industries. “Biotechnology means manipulation of genes in a way to generate unique features in the organism’’, he said,’’for instance to produce only half a gram of growth hormone, we need to split thousands of brains’’. However, biotechnology allows production of the same hormone through culturing it in vitro.
“Indeed, biotechnology has benefited health, food industries, protection of the environment, etc. and has been among the first five priorities in the national programs of countries,” Zeinali added.
Zeinali who is a member of the prestigious Pasteur Institute of Iran (IPI), referred to attempts to improve exports and to meet the country’s domestic needs and boost Iran’s share of biotechnology products in the global markets. “The target is 3 percent of the global market in 2025’’, he said. Currently, Iran’s share is only half a billion dollars.
Zeinali also announced holding the Third Biotechnology Festival at the Tehran International Permanent Fairgrounds, from May 20-23 and the 9th National Biotechnology Conference to be held in Shahid Beheshti University International Conference Hall. “The festival is held on behalf of the Biotechnology Development Headquarters and offices of Iran’s Biotechnology Association’’, he said, ‘’organizations, research centers, scientific associations, and charity funds will host the visitors along with manufacturing companies of biotech products to display their latest products and facilities for researchers, students, and other interested parties’’.
He continued: “Among notable participants in the festival will be officials of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund and Fund for Supporting Researchers, which will provide conferences with their keynote speakers,” said the executive secretary of the festival. “In Marketing Techniques and Commercialization Corridor, specific pavilions will offer services and advice on commercialization, entrepreneurship, exports, production, etc.” he added.
The festival theme is ‘Food Security, Health, Environment, and Sustainable Development’.
