AR-News: (Germany) Federation of Biological & Biomedical Societies

[Mary Finelli]

GERMAN BIOLOGISTS NEARLY UNITE
Another New Umbrella Organization Aims to Give German Life Scientists More 
Lobbying Clout
The Scientist, Martina Habeck, March 23, 2004


complete article & links at:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20040323/02


Last week saw the launch of the Federation of Biological and Biomedical 
Societies (VBBM), a German umbrella organization for learned societies in 
the life sciences that aims to be a contact point for politicians, the 
public, and the media. The 13 founding societies of the VMMB represent 
17,000 of Germany's 40,000 active life scientists. Jörg 
Maxton-Küchenmeister, head of the Society for Biochemistry and Molecular 
Biology, who helped set up the VBBM, expects that number to rise to 25,000 
by the end of the year, as other societies have already expressed their 
interest in joining.

Rüdiger Marquardt of the Association of German Biotechnology Companies....is 
also a member of the executive board of the Association of German 
Biologists, vdbiol, yet another umbrella organization, which has existed 
since 1954 and represents 6000 scientists, 16 learned societies, and almost 
80 companies. It has become a strong voice in areas such as higher education 
policy and professional development and also represents biology 
schoolteachers.


But some societies, especially in the biomedical field, found it hard to 
identify with vdbiol and have called for a new, independent structure. 
Already, the new VBBM is facing criticism.


Maxton-Küchenmeister told The Scientist they will establish a joint 
committee to develop a common position regarding the reform of Germany's 
university system. Other topics on the agenda include plant biotechnology 
and animal research.

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