Algae Biomass Summit Features Latest Breakthroughs in Algae Biology Research

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 19, 2014) - The 8^th Annual Algae Biomass Summit, taking place in San Diego, California, September 29-October 2 will showcase almost 30 presentations by leading research scientists and experts from universities, companies and several national laboratories in its Progress in Algal Biology track. The sessions will inform technical audiences about the latest algae strain improvement methods involving 'omics' and genetic manipulation, and growth and cultivation methods that are making possible the wide-scale commercial production of algae-based products.

"The importance of the increasing number of advances in biology research on display at this year's Summit cannot be understated," said Dr. Mark Hildebrand, Director of the Marine Biology Research Division at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Chair of the Summit's Progress in Algal Biology track. "Summit attendees will be engaged in discussions regarding the latest algae-related research and its broad implications for commercial production of algae-derived products in the food, feed, fuel and other commodity markets."

A few of the many high quality speakers and presentations in the Biology track include:

• Robert McBride, Sapphire Energy
  Impacts of Pond Management Strategies, Community Composition and Dynamics in Open Algae Pond for the Production of Biofuels
• Orly Levitan, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  The Intelligent Design of Algal Biofuels
• Jonathan Shurin, University of California - San Diego
  Experimental Risk Assessment for Dispersal, Invasion, and Impact on Wild Algae of Genetically-Modified Scenedesmus dimorphus
• Jesse Traller, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
  Genome and Methylome of a Candidate Biofuel Organism Provides Insights into Carbon Flux and Regulation
• Paul Roessler, Algenol Biofuels, Inc.
  Photosynthetic production of biofuels from CO2 by cyanobacteria using Algenol's "Direct to Ethanol®" process: Strain development aspects

The Progress in Algal Biology track is one of four tracks, plus plenary sessions and posters, which comprise the agenda for the Algae Biomass Summit, the largest algae conference in the world. In total, there will be more than 100 live presentations during the Summit. San Diego is a hub of algae industry activity, and hundreds of entrepreneurs, researchers, investors and users of algal products are expected at the event.

The Summit comes at a time when the world is increasingly looking for new sources of alternative fuels, feed stocks, and consumer products. Products made from algae are the natural solution to the energy, food, economic, and climate challenges facing the world today. This tiny powerful organism has the ability to simultaneously put fuels in vehicles, reuse CO₂, provide nutrition for animals and people and create jobs for millions of Americans. More information can be found at www.allaboutalgae.com.

The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the US algae Industry, produces the Algae Biomass Summit. More information about the Summit can be found at www.algaebiomasssummit.org.

About the Algae Biomass Organization
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a 501 c(6) non-profit whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website: www.algaebiomass.org.