Dr. Baker founded aquaculture and marine biodiscovery research at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville. As a direct result, AIMS has contributed significantly to the growth of the prawn aquaculture industry in Queensland and has discovered two chemical compounds in sponges that are currently in pre-clinical trials as potential anti-cancer drugs from the sea. He helped underpin the landmark Manila Declaration in 1992, and the Malacca Accord in 1994, and also in 1994 co-authored the fundamental tome on the Australian regulatory situation.  This work laid the foundation for Australian regulatory reform and for AIMS to later become a world leader in resolving access and benefit sharing policy issues regarding marine biotechnology research.

Prof. Baker was honored earlier this year for his outstanding contribution to marine biotechnology by AIMS when they dedicated their new biotechnology wing in his name. As quoted by Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Peacock, The Joe Baker Wing is a tribute both to Joe Baker's advancement of marine biotechnology at AIMS and to the subsequent achievements in understanding the molecular biodiversity of Australia's oceans.

Throughout his distinguished career Professor Joe Baker has received many honors, including the Order of the British Empire in 1982 for services to marine science, appointment as an officer in the Order of Australia in 2002 for his contribution to environmental studies and chemistry, and the Lifetime Clunies Ross award as a gifted contributor to his disciplines and a person of national and international repute. He has held many high level and prestigious positions, including being elected a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 1989, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. From 1993 to 2004 he was the Commissioner for the Environment of the Australian Capital Territory and pioneered state of the environment reporting for the region. In 1999 he became Chief Scientist of Queensland's Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries - a position he still holds today. Joe is on the editorial board of several international marine journals, he has authored and been editor of several books, and has authored or co-authored over 50 scientific papers. For the past 25 or so years, Joe has been an invited speaker at an average of eight scientific/natural resource related conferences a year.

Dr. William Fenical is one of the founders in the field of marine natural products. He is currently the director of the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine (CMBB), based at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. He received his MS from San Jose State University and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Riverside. Determined to blend his love of the ocean with his career, Bill attained an Assistant Research Chemist position at Scripps in 1973. Dr. Fenical's research focuses on the discovery and development of marine natural products as potential treatments mainly for cancer and infectious diseases. His work in this field, which began in the 1960s, has covered a wide range of organisms including algae, corals and sponges, but his current focus is on marine microorganisms. He studies not only their medical potential, but also basic questions about their biology such as where they grow and the roles they play in the ocean. Besides, he is an honorary fellow of the American Association of Science and the American Society of Pharmacognosy, He also got many Awards,such as 1996 Paul Scheuer Award in Marine Natural Products Chemistry, 1997 Silver Medal Award in Chemical Ecology, 2003 NCI Merit Award from the NIH, 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Pharmacognosy, 2006 Ernest Guenther Award in Natural Products Chemistry and so. He also published more than 380 scientific papers.

Dr. Thierry Chopin, Professor and Scientific Director, the Canadian Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Network, University of New Brunswick Saint John, Canada

Dr. Thierry Chopin was born and educated in France. He obtained his Doctorate from the University of Western Brittany, Brest, France. He moved to Canada in 1989 and is presently Professor of Marine Biology at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John. Dr. Chopin’s research focuses on the ecophysiology and biochemistry of seaweeds of commercial value and the development of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems for environmental sustainability (biomitigative services for improved ecosystem health), economic stability (product diversification, risk reduction and job creation in coastal communities) and societal acceptability (better management practices, improved regulatory governance and appreciation of differentiated and safe products). Dr. Chopin has published 96 refereed papers, 18 book chapters, 30 non-refereed publications, 297 abstracts (presented at 184 scientific meetings in 34 countries on 6 continents), 1 English/French DVD, 1 YouTube video, and has frequent contacts with the media (magazine articles, newspapers/radio/TV interviews and documentaries). Dr. Chopin is the Scientific Director of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Canadian Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Network (CIMTAN). He is Past President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, the Phycological Society of America and the International Seaweed Association. He is an advisor to the International Foundation for Science, in Stockholm, and a member of the Editorial Boards of the journal Aquaculture International and the professional magazine Fish Farming International. Dr. Chopin is the recipient of the NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation, the Aquaculture Association of Canada Research Award of Excellence, the New Brunswick BioSciences Achievement Award, the R3 (Research, Results, Recognition) Award of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation and the Simply the Best Award of the UNB Associated Alumni. Dr. Chopin is also Honorary Consul of France and Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques.

Dr. John R. Benemann, CEO, MicroBio Engineering, Inc.; Director, Algae Biomass Organization, USA

Dr. John Benemann has both a B.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, both from the University of California Berkeley; in addition he spent three years as postdoctoral fellow, Dept. of Chemistry, U.C. San Diego; then rejoined U.C. Berkeley in the Department of Civil Engineering, where, as an independent researcher where he supervised half dozen Ph.D. thesis students in Civil Engineering, Biophysics and Plant Physiology. In 1980, he started a small microalgae biotechnology company and from 1983-1988 was Associate Professor at Georgia Inst. of Technology. For the past 20+ years he has been a part time researcher at the University of California Berkeley (Depts. of Civil Engineering and Plant and Microbial Biology). and at the University of Hawaii (adjunct Professor), and a full-time consultant. His current research interests are the areas of microalgae products, aquaculture, wastewater treatment, photosynthesis, municipal solid wastes management, biofuels and all aspects of greenhouse gas abatement. He is vice chair of algal biomass organization. Also he is the advisory board member of kent bioEnergy corporation. He is the author of numerous publications and reports and belongs to a number of professional and trade organizations. He was the manager of the "Microalgae Biofixation Network" operated by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R & D Programme.

Dr. Andrew Mearns Spragg, Founder & CTO, Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd, UK

Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) & Founder of Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd. Dr Spragg gained a first class honors degree in microbiology and Ph.D. in marine biotechnology from Heriot-Watt University and has managed the Company’s continued growth from a university "Spin-Out" to a company of 22 FTEs.

Since founding the business, Andrew has successfully raised over ￡10m in equity and grant finance. He developed the company whilst holding a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship in biotechnology; was awarded a John Logie Baird Award in Medical and Academic Science; and was also the recipient of the 2007 Gannochy Innovation Medal, and prize, from the Royal Society of Edinburgh in recognition of his achievements in biotechnology and innovation. In 2008, Andrew's entrepreneurial achievements were further recognised when he won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year 2008 in Health Care (Scotland) prize.

Dr. Russell G. Kerr is Professor & Canada Research Chair of Department of Chemistry at University of Prince Edward Island. He obtained many Academic Appointments. 1999-2006, He has been Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Florida Atlantic University; 2000-2006 He was the Director of Graduate Studies at Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry; 2003-2006, He was the Director of Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology. Dr. Russell G. Kerr also got many Awards. Such as 2000 President's Research Development Award (FAU), 2003 Admitted to"Who's Who in Sciences Higher Education (WWSHE)", 2010 Lévesque Chair in Nutrisciences and Health and so on. Besides he is one of members of Chemical Institute of Canada, American Chemical Society, and American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Pharmacognosy and American Association for Cancer Research. He also serves on Editorial Boards of Letters in Organic Chemistry, Marine Drugs, The Open Organic Chemistry Journal and Research Letters in Organic Chemistry.