Meeting of the VDI Technical Division Biotechnology in Düsseldorf

The Association of German Engineers (VDI) Technical Division Biotechnology, a part of its Technologies of Life Sciences Division, met in Düsseldorf on 19 May. The agenda included a report from the VDI office and a presentation on the state of play as regards work on various VDI standards. Standards VDI 6300, Guidance on Safe Operation of Genetic Engineering Facilities, and VDI 6310, Classification and Quality Criteria of Biorefineries, have been adopted as norms. The expert commission on the new standard VDI 6320, Data Management in the Life Sciences, has started work. A member of the Technical Division also gave a presentation on the biotechnology ISO/TC meeting, which took in Shenzhen, China, in mid-April (see April 2015 newsletter). Finally, the Technical Division’s position paper on biotechnology was discussed and the final version approved.