BRIEF: Biotechnology symposium set to begin

The symposium, which kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. with a dinner and speech by Biology Professor Stephen Roth, is the first of what organizers hope to be annual seminars on science with practical applications. "We've picked a topic which is both intellectually very important and also practical," said Physics Professor Ralph Amado who helped to organize the seminar. "More than 2000 years ago, Aristotle said the most important problem in biology is understanding why pigs don't have frog babies," Amado added. "We're beginning to understand that and figure out how to make a buck out of it." The tutorial will continue tomorrow with lessons on possible medical and agricultural applications for biotechnology and a roundtable discussion of how to patent ideas. There is a $235 charge for persons not affilated with the University, which includes meals and study materials. Members of the University community can attend for $30, which does not include meals. For more information contact Jackie Davis at 898-9585. --Steven Ochs