US Getting Worldwide Run for Money for Biotech

This one came out while we were in the Pacific-Northwest last week.

The South Koreans are way ahead in developing human embryonic stem cells to treat disease.
China, now testing genetically engineered rice, looms as a threat to disrupt Monsanto's broad grip on crop biotechnology if the world's most populous nation begins commercializing modified rice as widely believed.

Stem cells and genetically altered crops are but two small sectors of the growing biotechnology industry, which remains overwhelmingly dominated by U.S. companies and researchers.
Still, as 18,000 industry executives and scientists from around the globe began gathering in Philadelphia yesterday for the Biotechnology Industry Organization's annual trade show, other countries are finally making significant inroads. About 6,000 attendees from outside the United States had been expected.

"Countries around the world are competing fiercely to attract and develop biotech activity," concludes an Ernst & Young industry report titled "Beyond Borders" was released at the convention. Read more here.