Humana Twenty-Seventh Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (ABAB Symposium)

industry, and 22% were from government. A total of oral presentations (including Special Topic presentations) and 329 poster presentations were delivered. The high number of poster submissions required splitting the poster session into two evening sessions. (Conference details are posted at http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/biotech_symposium/.) Almost 35% of the attendees were international, showing the strong and building worldwide interest in this area. Nations represented included Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Ki- dom, and Venezuela, as well as the United States. One of the focus areas for bioconversion of renewable resources into fuels is conversion of lignocellulose into sugars and the conversion of s- ars into fuels and other products. This focus is continuing to expand toward the more encompassing concept of the integrated multiproduct biorefinery--where the production of multiple fuel, chemical, and energy products occurs at one site using a combination of biochemical and ther- chemical conversion technologies. The biorefinery concept continues to grow as a unifying framework and vision, and the biorefinery theme f- tured prominently in many talks and presentations. However, another emerging theme was the importance of examining and optimizing the entire biorefining process rather than just its bioconversion-related elements. From the Back Cover In Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals: The Twenty-Seventh Symposium, leading US and international researchers from academia, industry, and government exchange cutting-edge technical information and update current trends in the development and application of biotechnology for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. This symposium emphasizes advances in biotechnology to produce high-volume, low-price products from renewable resources, while improving the environment. The major areas of interest include advanced feedstock production and processing, enzymatic and microbial biocatalysis, bioprocess research and development, opportunities in biorefineries, and commercialization of biobased products. International and domestic progress on producing liquid biofuels, especially ethanol and biodiesel, is highlighted, and related topics, including bioseparations and optimal integration of biochemical and thermochemical conversion technologies, are featured. Forward-looking and authoritative, Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals: The Twenty-Seventh Symposium provides an illuminating overview of current research and development in the production of commodity fuels and chemicals from renewable biomass resources via biochemical and thermochemical routes.