Special Event Providing Exclusive Access to Shanghai's Booming Zhangjiang Pharma Valley Added to Agenda of First Annual SBS China Conference

Glimpse into China's emerging drug discovery marketplace is free for SBS China Conference participants, compliments of Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening

CHICAGO, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Society for Biomolecular Sciences (SBS), now officially the Biomolecular Sciences Section (BSS) of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS), is pleased to announce Drug Discovery in Shanghai Zhangjiang Pharma Valley, a special program and tour just added to the agenda of the First Annual SBS China Conference and Exhibition, December 7-9, 2010, at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai, China.

During the afternoon of December 7, participants of Drug Discovery in Shanghai Zhangjiang Pharma Valley will engage with Chinese scientists at Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, a thriving center for innovation and framework for the biomedicine industry in Shanghai. The program, an exclusive opportunity available only to conference participants, will feature three 20-minute presentations offering unique perspectives on Shanghai's drug discovery initiatives. Speakers include:

• Zhong Zhong, Ph.D., Sr. Director of Discovery Technology, GlaxoSmithKline R&D China
• Xin Xie, Ph.D., Professor, Head, Assay Development Dept.II, The National Center of Drug Screening
• Danyi Wen, M.D., MBA, Executive Director, Cell Biology/Pharmacology Shanghai ChemPartner, Co. Inc.

In addition, this unique opportunity will be highlighted by a narrated coach bus tour of the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. The tour will take participants to the pharma valley that is the Shanghai home to many multi-national companies, CROs, technology providers, institutes and facilities. Some of those companies now taking residence in and around the technology park include Abbott, DSM, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Novartis, Otsuka, Pfizer, Roche, PerkinElmer, Tecan, GE Healthcare, Chempartner, Sundia, WuXiApptech, and others.

Early confirmation to participate is encouraged, as space is limited and reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details and to register for the First Annual China Conference and to confirm participation in this new special event, visit sbsonline.org/China.

The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is a new non-profit scientific organization uniting the Society for Biomolecular Sciences (SBS) and the Association for Laboratory Automation (ALA). The SLAS mission is to be the preeminent global organization providing forums for education and information exchange and to encourage the study of, improve the science and practice of, laboratory automation and screening. Watch for the official launch of SLAS.org, our new, comprehensive website, in October. For additional information, please visit sbs-alamerger.org.

Headquartered in Danbury, CT, the Society for Biomolecular Sciences (SBS) serves as a section of SLAS, dedicated to drug discovery and its related disciplines. SBS was founded in 1994 to provide a forum for global education and information exchange among professionals in the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech and agrochemical industries. SBS members represent many of the largest and most influential research institutes, universities and pharmaceutical companies in the world, including the National Cancer Institute; University of California, Berkeley; Harvard University; government agencies and organizations; and most major companies involved in drug discovery.

SOURCE Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening