Life Sciences and Urbanization Track
The 2009 Forum principally addressed a major developmental issue: the transition towards a massively urban world population.
For thousands of years, humanity thrived in rural areas. By 2050, humanity will have grown into a mass of 9 billion inhabitants of which 6.5 billion will be living in urban areas. These numbers, further penalized by density, water shortages and lack of sanitation, challenge the very concept of a city. Indeed, cities as they existed in the past are no longer sustainable. They are crying out for solutions. Many can be found in Life Sciences and its associated technologies.
Fortunately, this accelerating urbanization is already mobilizing prominent international, governmental and non governmental organizations. BioVision 2009 joined their efforts by addressing a neglected but crucial component:
- How can progress in the various Life Sciences ease this urban transition?
- How can they contribute to dealing with water and food supply, health safety, ecosystem degradation, atmospheric pollution or climate change?
The program included the following sessions:
PLENARY SESSIONS
>> Facing the challenges of expanding cities
What do your citizens consider a healthy city?
A high level panel with mayors of megacities opening the conference with geographic diversity.
Session Reporting
>> Decision-Makers, over to you...
A high level panel of policymakers and businesspeople sharing their reactions to selected solutions presented during BioVision 2009.
Session Reporting
>> Contributions of Life Sciences to solve economic and social issues in expanding cities
Key figures of the economical, political and cultural worlds will share their views.
Session Reporting
PARALLEL SESSIONS - Health
>> Managing Urban Epidemics
Co-organized with WHO & Lyonbiopole
1. BioCrises
Managing public health emergencies in the megacities
2. Infectious Diseases
Strategies to combat infection
Session Reporting
>> Health & Technologies: from Hospitals to Home
What technologies can make healthcare more efficient in an urban environment?
Session Reporting
>> Aging in the big city
The challenge of managing health for senior citizens.
Session Reporting
>> Urban Stress and mental health
Which therapeutic alternatives and horizons are opened by scientific progress?
Session Reporting
>> Feeding the city
Adressing the nutritional needs of growing poor urban populations.
Details...
PARALLEL SESSIONS - Environment
>> Cities and climate change
An interview of a major specialist on the contribution of Life Sciences to the fight against climate change.
Session Reporting
>> Reducing cities' ecological footprint
Sustainable Cities
Can current sustainable city experiments be translated into real world implementation?
Session Reporting
Are there Life Sciences solutions to air pollution?
Session Reporting
>> Water in the city
1. Supply
Getting water to 1 billion people has to happen, how and when?
2. Sanitation
Sanitation, for even more people, has to happen too.
Session Reporting
>> Biofuels for the city
Co-organised with the EC-US Task Force on Biotechnology Research.
Beyond vehicles, how will biofuels be used in the city?
Session Reporting
See the Advances in Life Sciences Track
Back to the programme home page
top