Biotechnology Division Newsletter

September 2016

Officers for the Biotechnology Division

Executive Steering Committee
Chairperson
Jun Ogawa, Kyoto University, Japan
Email: ogawa@kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Phone: +81 7575-36115
Newsletter Assistant (Student Member)
Abdullah Al Loman, University of Akron, USA
Email: al51@zips.uakron.edu

Vice Chairperson Division awards

Lu-Kwang (Luke) Ju, University of Akron, USA Liaison to Japan Oil Chemists’ Society
Email: ju@uakron.edu (JOCS)
Phone: +1 330-972-7252 Liaison with AOCS Asian Section
Liaison to International Society of
Secretary/Treasurer Biocatalysis and Agricultural
Long Zou (Joe), Bunge Oils, USA Biotechnology (ISBAB)
Email: long.zou@bunge.com Ching T. Hou, US Department of Agriculture,
Phone: +1 815-523-3529 USA
Email: Ching.Hou@ars.usda.gov
Phone: +1 309-681-6263

Newsletter Editors General Division Membership Development

Long Zou (Joe), Bunge Oils, USA Tom McKeon, US Department of Agriculture,
Email: long.zou@bunge.com USA
Phone: +1 815-523-3529 Email: Thomas.mckeon@ars.usda.gov
Phone: +1 510-559-5754
Message from the Chair
Dear Colleagues,

The Biotechnology Division has been developing new scientific areas and networks of the people
from academic and industrial fields of lipid biotechnology. In each AOCS Annual Meeting, the
Division provides the opportunities to learn what is ongoing in lipid biotechnology. Recently, the
activities have been gathering much attention from the viewpoint of sustainable and environmental
friendly societies.

I would like to thank all the Division members who made efforts for the 107th Annual Meeting in Salt
Lake City, especially the previous chair, Rick Ashby. We had successful sessions, not only with our
Division, but also in collaboration with other Divisions of the Industrial Oil Products (IOP) and
Surfactants and Detergents (S&D), which suggests that our activity has become broader. We
celebrated our representative members, Dr. Thomas A. McKeon for Fellow Award and Prof. John L.
Harwood for Stephen S. Chang Award at the Annual Meeting. I hope we will have a fruitful meeting
again in Orlando with the leadership of our Division officers listed on the first page of the newsletter.
We are blessed to have a good team who works hard to organize and carry out the business of the
Division. I am indebted to each of them for their service.

I would like to propose two things as main aims of this Division officer team. One is to rightly
appreciate the excellent achievements and the other is to bring up the next generation. As to the first
aim, we will restart our Division award named the “Ching Hou Biotechnology Award”. This award
becomes possible by a sponsorship from Dr. Ching T. Hou. We really thank him for his great support.
As to the second aim, we invite student editors for our Division newsletter and young co-chairs for the
sessions at the Annual Meeting. The ongoing “poster session elevator talks” is also an important
activity for this purpose. We really appreciate your active participation in these projects.
Best Regards,
Jun Ogawa
BIO Division Chair 2016
ogawa@kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Call for Preliminary Abstracts

2017 AOCS Annual Meeting & Industry Showcases, April 30-May 3, 2017
Please consider submitting preliminary abstracts to present, particularly for the Biotechnology Poster
Session. Also, consider submitting a proposal to organize a session for the Hot Topic Symposia, to
be held Monday morning of the conference. Preliminary abstracts and proposals for the Hot Topic
Symposia are due November 1, 2016.
Biotechnology Division Session Topics
Session Joint Division
Biocatalysis I & II
Biorenewable Polymers IOP
Advances in Bioactive Fats
Biodiesel from Low Quality Feed Stock PRO
Plant Lipid Biotechnology and Genomics
Biofuels IOP
Biosurfactants and Biodetergents S&D
General Biotechnology

Division News
 An alternative to the traditional exhibition hall, the 2017 Annual Meeting will house three
unique campuses as the 2015 Annual Meeting, where exhibitors and sessions are grouped by
interest area. The Biotechnology Division will be housed within the Wesson Campus, which
will contain Industry Showcase stations staffed by companies promoting goods and services
relative to BIO, IOP, PRO, and PCP; session rooms; poster presentations; and food and
beverage areas. The campuses will serve as the hub of major networking activities, hosting
daily coffee breaks, happy hours, and dedicated poster author sessions.
 The 2017 AOCS Annual Meeting & Industry Showcases will be held April 30-May 3, 2017 at
the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida. The Biotechnology Division session topics are
listed above. The Call for Papers is already open. Preliminary Abstracts are due November
1, 2016. Registration will be open in January 2017. We look forward to welcoming all
members and friends to beautiful Orlando.

 The 2016 International Society of Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology annual meeting
(12th ISBAB) together with the 2016 AOCS Asian Section Symposium will be held in Hong
Kong from October 17-19, 2016 at the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Mee-Len Chye is the local
organizer. More information is available at the conference website:
http://www.biosch.hku.hk/isbab2016/. All members and friends are welcome to attend.

 Call for nominations of the “Ching Hou Biotechnology Award” (previously BIO Division
Lifetime Achievement Award)! Nominations are open until November 1, 2016. Please refer to
the guideline below for details.

 Membership renewals have been sent out. Be sure to renew your BIO Division membership
when you renew your AOCS membership! Need help? Contact Doreen Berning.
Division Dinner at the 2016 Salt Lake City Meeting
The Biotechnology Division dinner at the 2016 AOCS Annual Meeting took place on May 3.

Full-house attendees and guests at the 2016 Biotechnology Division Dinner Reception. Dr. Ching
Hou welcomed the dinner guests.

Recognition of the outstanding leadership of outgoing Chair, Dr. Richard Ashby (right), from incoming
Chair, Dr. Jun Ogawa (left).

Our Division member, Thomas A. McKeon (2006-2009 Division Chair), was honored as a new AOCS
Fellow.
Winners of the division student awards were introduced individually:

Biotechnology Division Student 1st Place Awardee: Junki Miyamoto (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Biotechnology Division Student 2nd Place Awardee: Molly Sproston (The University of Georgia, USA)
Biotechnology Division Student 3rd Place Awardee: Taehoon Kim (Korea University, Korea)

The dinner speaker was Dr. Kenneth L. White from Utah State University. His talk was entitled
“Agricultural Research in the 21th Century-A Very Different Beast.” Dr. White made a very intriguing
presentation related to cutting-edge animal reproduction and embryonic development by advanced
biotechnology.

The dinner speaker and other activities of the Biotechnology Division were kindly sponsored by Nitto
Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Nisshin OilliO Group, and Alberta
Innovates Phytola Center.
Interview with 2016 Biotechnology Division Student Winners
Q. Congratulations on winning the BIO Division Student Award! Please briefly introduce
yourself and give us an overview of the contribution of your research project.
Junki Miyamoto: My name is Junki Miyamoto, and I am a PhD student at Hiroshima University. My
main research field is the investigation of functional foods in Food Science. In this study, a gut
microbial metabolite of linoleic acid, 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid (HYA), alleviates intestinal
barrier impairments on DSS-induced colitis mice and human intestinal epithelial cell lines by the
inhibition of TNFR2 expression via GPR40-MEK-ERK pathway. These data imply the possibility that
the linoleic/oleic acid ratio in the dietary fat and/or the balance of fatty acid-metabolizing enzymes in
gut microbes could regulate intestinal disorders.
Molly Sproston: I am a graduate research assistant at The University of Georgia working in a lipid
laboratory under the direction of Dr. Casimir C. Akoh. My research project involved producing human
milk fat analogs that may more closely fit the nutritional needs of infants using anhydrous milk fat as
the main substrate with increased percentages of sn-2 palmitic acid as well as additions of
arachidonic (ARA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. The project involved comparing three different
methods of synthesis including physical blending, enzymatic interesterification, and enzymatic
acidolysis to determine the most adequate method with respect to differences in fatty acid profiles,
reaction yields, oxidative stability, and antioxidant contents.
Taehoon Kim: Hello, my name is Taehoon Kim and I’m studying in Prof. In-Hwan Kim’s laboratory at
Korea University. Our laboratory carried out diverse extensive research related to lipids.
Concentration of functional fatty acid, oil extraction using supercritical fluid, and synthesis of bio-
lubricant are a few examples. My co-worker, Hee Jin Kim greatly contributed to the completion of the
project. My professor, Inhwan Kim lead us to the right way when we felt confused on how to proceed.
Nowadays, the consumption of domestic farm products and the number of farmers have decreased in
Korea. To keep up with the competitiveness, high-value product is needed.
Q. How did you come up with the main idea of your research and what is the motivation for
success?
Junki Miyamoto: I think that it is important to join lots of conferences and aggressively make a query
about my mind. In my case, I often discuss with my professor and laboratory members about
experimental results and future plans. Moreover, I work frantically like mad to improve them when my
research projects keep losing and are incompatible with the hypothesis. Finally, I am always sure of
my research projects’ success.
Molly Sproston: Lipases can produce products that are similar to the unique positional composition
of human milk fat. ARA, DHA, and sn-2 palmitic acid are very important for energy and proper
neuronal and retinal growth and function for infants. Providing a human milk fat analog that could
benefit infant nutrition and provide higher percentages of these fatty acids in comparison to
commercial infant formulas was great motivation.
Taehoon Kim: Pinolenic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid from Korean pine nut oil and has various
health effects. For a long time, our laboratory has carried out similar research. However most studies
used Novozym 435, an expensive lipase, as a biocatalyst. We were keen on cost reduction, so we
devised this new method mixing two types of lipase. One is a small amount of Novozym 435, the
other is a large amount of Lipozyme TL IM.
Q. Share your experience at the 2016 AOCS meeting with the BIO Division community.
Junki Miyamoto: In 2016, it is the first time I have joined and given a presentation in this conference.
Then, I discussed with lots of researchers in the field of Oil, and it is an essential experience for me.
This experience will be useful for my experimental future plan. If I have a chance, I hope to join and
give a presentation the next time. Finally, I would like to thank the organizers of this conference.
Molly Sproston: The 2016 AOCS meeting was my first conference and AOCS experience. I enjoyed
being involved with the Biotechnology Division community because I was able to meet and converse
with great people who are passionate about research and the scientific process. I felt very welcomed
by the community, and I loved being a part of the Biotechnology Division of AOCS.
Taehoon Kim: The meeting was one of the most impressive experiences in my life. It was my first
opportunity to present my research. When I was awarded, I felt rewarded and was more confident. It
was interesting to meet people who carried out similar research also. I have studied hard under the
inspiration of their research and passion. I got to know how to live as a researcher. Thank you to the
Biotechnology Division for giving me the chance to present and get this award.

AOCS Biotechnology Division – Ching Hou Biotechnology Award Guidelines

Purpose of the Award

This award shall honor the outstanding performance and meritorious contributions to an area of
interest to the Biotechnology Division of the American Oil Chemists’ Society.
Nature of the Award
The award shall consist of One thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and a suitable plaque commemorating
presentation of the award to the award winner. The award is sponsored by the Biotechnology
Division and Ching Hou. Travel expenses to the meeting would be the responsibility of the award
winner.
Name of the Award
The award shall be called the AOCS Biotechnology Division, Ching Hou Biotechnology Award. The
award is sponsored by Ching Hou.
Duration and Frequency of the Award
It is intended that this award be presented annually at the Biotechnology Division meeting
(luncheon/dinner) during the annual meeting of the Society. Presentation of the award is contingent
upon identification of a suitable award winner. In any year in which it is not possible to identify a
suitable award winner, the award will not be given.
Award Address or Lecture
The award winner shall deliver an acceptance address/lecture during a time deemed appropriate
during the meeting of the Division at the Annual Meeting of the Society.
Financing
Cost for this award shall be funded by Ching Hou, except that costs for the plaque and the award
winner’s annual meeting registration fees, which will be borne by the Biotechnology Division. In the
event that a sponsor cannot be identified, the Division shall either incur the expense of the award or
cancel the award for that year, based on majority agreement among all of the Division officers,
including the Chair, Vice Chair, and the Treasurer/Secretary.
Eligibility
The award winner shall have made significant and meritorious achievements to areas of interest to
the Biotechnology Division. No geographical limits are placed on the award and preference shall be
given to members of the Society. The award winner is required to attend the annual meeting and
present an award acceptance lecture (in one of the Division’s technical sessions) to receive the
award.
Nomination Procedures
The nomination shall consist of a letter of nomination, supporting letters from at least three other
scientists, and biographical information concerning the nominee. The biographical information must
include a summary of the nominee’s research accomplishments and their significance, a list of
publications, degree(s) held (with the names of the granting institutions), and position(s) held during
the nominee’s professional career.
Award Committee
A Division member shall be appointed by the Division Chairperson as the chair of the Biotechnology
Division, Ching Hou Biotechnology Award Committee for two-year term. The award committee chair
makes sure that notice of the existence and nature of the award and a solicitation for nominations is
published annually by the Society. The selected individual shall solicit nominations and to insure that
notice of the award is well promoted. To assist with promotion, the chair may choose one or two
additional division members to assist them in promoting the award. The Division chairperson may
appoint him/her self as the award committee chair.
Selection Committee
A four member Selection Committee shall be selected by the Award Committee Chair from among
the nominations provided by the officers of the Division. Two new Selection Committee members will
be selected each year. The Selection Committee chairperson will be selected by the Award
Committee Chair from among the two returning committee members. The Award Committee Chair
will inform the Division Chairperson and the Division Chairperson will inform the Awards
Administration Committee Chair of the committee selections. The member of the Selection
Committee will review the nomination package and rank the list of nominees. They will select the
winner by majority vote from among the top three ranked nominees. The award winner should be
designated by December 1st of each year and the Society Office of the Awards Administration notified
promptly to provide adequate time for suitable publicity, prior to the annual meeting. The names of
the Selection Committee will be kept confidential and will be known only to the Biotechnology Division
Officers, the Chairperson of the Awards Administration Committee and the Governing Board.
General
The general rules and procedures specified for all awards associated with the Society as specified in
the Awards Administration Manual of the American Oil Chemists’ Society apply to this award.
Of Interest

2016 Biotechnology Division Roundtable attendees.

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News Items?
We welcome any ideas and suggestions for making the newsletter more relevant to you, the Division
members. We would also be happy to receive e-mails from you for any stories, news, photos,
achievements, awards, etc. that you’d like to share with other members. Our e-mail addresses are
long.zou@bunge.com and al51@zips.uakron.edu.