The international conference on Modern Biotechnologies: Sustainable innovation and regulatory needs will be taking place on the beautiful island of Penang, Malaysia 7-10 Nov 2012. The conference is a GenOk conference organized in partnership with Third World Network and is funded by grants from the ministry of foreign affairs / NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Developmental Cooperation).

The conference aims to focus on three key interrelated questions:

1. Do current regulations sufficiently address the novel aspects of existing and emerging modern biotechnologies (new classes of GMOs, synthetic biology and nano-biotechnology)?
2. What specific measures would be required to meet any deficiencies identified to achieve sustainable innovation?
3. Are there specific regional issues, which need to be addressed in this context, and if so, how?

The conference will bring key figures in science and regulatory bodies together to discuss challenges, uncertainties and sustainability of new and upcoming techniques of modern biotechnologies, new products thereof and implications for current legislation / regulation. Arenas for open and dynamic discussions on these very important and imminent questions are essential for ensuring that science is directed to meet societal needs. An intended outcome of the conference is to formulate practical initiatives in response to the key questions.