Camarillo, Calif., Feb. 20, 2014 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) is pleased to announce “Science & Society: Legal, Economic, and Ethical Concerns in New Technologies,” a series of monthly biotechnology law seminars organized by CI faculty member and biotech legal expert Panda Kroll in conjunction with the Ventura BioCenter and Ventura County Bar Association. The breakfast seminars, generally held the first Thursday of each month from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Ventura Bio Center, 1176 Tourmaline Dr. in Thousand Oaks, are free to the public. Attorneys pay a nominal fee for continuing education credits.
“Like it or not, advances in biotechnology affect us all,” said Kroll, an adjunct faculty member in biotechnology law and regulation in the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics. Also a senior attorney at DK Law Group in Thousand Oaks, Kroll brings expertise on settlements against companies that label products containing genetically modified ingredients as “natural” as well as constitutional challenges.
Biotechnology is the engineering of living organisms to perform tasks or functions that serve human needs. Much like the Internet 20 years ago, the biotechnology industry is unmapped and exciting. While the discovery of the human genetic code in the Human Genome Project and biomedical advances have been welcomed enthusiastically, cloning and genetically modified food – and most recently, genetically engineered salmon – have met with distrust.
“As with all technologies, just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should, nor does it mean we will,” Kroll said. “These seminars are designed for anyone interested in the leaps taken when innovations in technology converge with competing interests. We hope that scientists and non-scientists alike will have their thoughts provoked and interest piqued.”
Upcoming speakers and topics are as follows:
March 6: “From Bench-Top to Bank – Monetizing Scientific Expertise” with Michael Ram, JD, DSc
April 3: “3D Printer Intellectual Property Issues” with Steve Sereboff, JD, SoCal IP Law Group, LLP
May 1: “Genetically Engineered Salmon – Environmental, Legal & Market Responses” – Panel discussion
June 5: “Animals in Biotech” with Laura Jones, Animal Science Specialist
July 10: “Bioprospecting: Intangible Cultural Property” with Angela Kirwin, Applied Anthropologist
For more information, contact Panda Kroll, Adjunct Faculty, CSU Channel Islands; Chair, VCBA Biotech Law Section; and Senior Attorney, DK Law Group at panda.kroll@csuci.edu or pk@dk4law.com, www.dk4law.com; or contact Greg Cauchon, Director, Ventura BioCenter, at info@AmethystLS.com, https://venturabiocenter.com/.
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.