Bio-IT World Magazine Announces 2008 Best Practices Awards, Calls for Entries


NEEDHAM, MA--(Marketwire - October 2, 2007) - Bio-IT World magazine, the leading independent publication providing news and analysis on enabling technologies for the biopharma industry, today announced the launch of its 2008 Best Practice Awards program and called for entries.

The awards recognize excellence in the development of innovative uses of life science and information technologies that streamline and accelerate the drug discovery research and development process.

Kevin Davies, Ph.D., Bio-IT World editor-in-chief, said, "We're looking for leading-edge research programs and processes as well as business initiatives that can serve as models that others in the life sciences can apply to improve the efficiency of their own programs."

"If our experience with the awards program over the past five years is any indication, we expect to see a wide collection of really exciting entries."

The award program, established in 2003, is open to R&D and scientific facilities and labs in pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, academia, government, medical or related institutions and organizations, as well as public and private research organizations.

Judged by an independent panel of scientific, IT, and business experts, including Bio-IT World editors, the awards have come to be regarded as coveted validations of scientific and business excellence.

Past best practice award winners have ranged from biopharma companies such as Iconix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., company focused on chemogenomics, genomics, and drug discovery, and GlaxoSmithKline, to leading academic organizations including the National Cancer Institute and the Baylor College of Medicine.

"AWARD ENHANCED OUR ABILITY TO GET FUNDING"

Dietrich Stephan, deputy director of the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix and co-founder of Navigenics, who received Bio-IT World's best practice award for discovery and basic research in 2005, said: "Winning the award increased our visibility to the external community, especially with regard to the rigor with which we do our science. That, in turn, enhanced our ability to get funding and hire people to continue on our growth trajectory."

Entries may be submitted in six broad categories: basic research/R&D; drug discovery and development; clinical research and trials; translational and personalized medicine; IT infrastructure/knowledge management; and business and economic development.

Award applications, as well as nominations from vendors, will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2008. The Best Practices Awards dinner will be held on Monday, April 28, 2008, in Boston, in conjunction with the Bio-IT World Conference & Expo.

Complete information, including online entry forms, is available at www.bio-itworld.com/bestpractices.

ABOUT BIO-IT WORLD

Bio-IT World (www.bio-itworld.com), the flagship publication of Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI), is the leading source of news on technology and strategic innovation in drug discovery, development and clinical trials. Bio-IT World's focus is increasingly one that explores the tools and results of "predictive biology" as the industry adapts to the new world of "personalized medicine." Bio-IT World has won 34 national and regional awards, more than any other magazine covering the life sciences industry. Bio-IT World, part of Cambridge Healthtech Media Group -- a division of CHI -- also produces a comprehensive, continually updated website, topic-specific briefings, white papers, webcasts, podcasts, conferences, and the Bio-IT World Best Practices Awards. Established in 2001, the magazine is based in Needham, Mass.

Contact Information: Contact: John Russell Executive Editor Bio-IT World 781-972-1342