Extensive application of synthetic polymer materials results in increasing volume of polymeric waste and methods are needed for safe and relatively quick elimination of these materials from the environment.
This is the 2^nd meeting of the International Network (Bio)degradable Polymers from Renewable Resources.

There are two interconnected aims of the conference:

• Meeting of researchers working in the area of the biobased polymers as an usual forum for exchange of information on the recent development in this area.
   
• Meeting of the formal members of the network in order to discuss preparation of common projects.

Keywords:
degradable polymers,
polymers from renewable resources

Polish Academy of Sciences, Scientific Centre in Vienna, Austria
International Network (Bio)degradable Polymers from Renewable Resources
Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodz, Poland
Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria

Ann-Christine Albertsson (Sweden) -- co-Chair Gerhart Braunegg (Austria) -- co-Chair Francesco Ciardelli (Italy) Danuta Ciechanska (Poland) Andrzej Dworak (Poland) Zbigniew Florjanczyk (Poland) Shiro Kobayashi (Japan) Izabella Krucinska (Poland) Andrej Krzan (Slovenia) Christopher K. Ober (USA) Gabriel Rokicki (Poland) Tadeusz Spychaj (Poland) Robert F. Stepto (UK) Piotr Tomasik (Poland) Jean-Pierre Vairon (France) Danuta Zuchowska (Poland) Chairman of the Conference Prof. Stanislaw Penczek Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Sienkiewicza 112, PL-90-363 Lodz, Poland Tel.: (+48) 42 6819815 Fax: (+48) 42 6847126 E-mail: spenczek@bilbo.cbmm.lodz.pl Chairman of the Organizing Committe Prof. Stanislaw Slomkowski Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences ul. Sienkiewicza 112, PL-90-363 Lodz, Poland Tel.: (+48) 42 6826537 Fax: (+48) 42 6847126 E-mail: staslomk@bilbo.cbmm.lodz.pl Conference Secretary (to whom all correspondence should be directed) Dr. Andrzej Nadolny Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Centre in Vienna Boerhaavegasse 25, A-1030 Wien, Austria Tel.: (+43 1) 7135929-303 Fax: (+43 1) 7135929-301 E-mail: scicont.viennapan@ycn.com

Polish Academy of Sciences (Polska Akademia Nauk)
Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, Austria (Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie)
ACS PUBLICATIONS HIGH QUALITY. HIGH IMPACT.

TIME				VENUE
Sunday, November 18				Scientific Centre
17:00	--	21:00	Registration and Welcome Party
Monday, November 19				Studio 44
8:00	--	9:15	Registration
9:15	--	9:25	Opening: Stanislaw Penczek and Stanislaw Slomkowski
Chair: Maria Nowakowska
9:25	--	10:00	Ramani Narayan (USA) BioPlastics and Biodegradable Plastics -- Role in sustainability, Reducing Carbon Footprint and Environmental Responsibility [abstract]
10:00	--	10:20	Coffee break
Chair: Zbigniew Florjanczyk
10:20	--	10:55	Ann-Christine Albertsson (Sweden) (Bio)Degradable Polymers from Renewable Resources [abstract]
10:55	--	11:30	Andrzej Duda (Poland) Controlled Polymerization of Cyclic Esters [abstract]
11:30	--	11:50	Coffee break
Chair: Mariastella Scandola
11:50	--	12:25	Philippe Dubois (Belgium) Polylactide-based Materials: from Micro- to Nanocompositions [abstract]
12:25	--	13:00	Andrzej Galeski (Poland) Physical Modification of Polylactide [abstract]
13:00	--	14:30	Buffet lunch
Chair: Andrzej Dworak
14:30	--	15:05	Richard A. Gross (USA) New Biocatalytic Routes to Monomers, Macromers and Polymers [abstract]
15:05	--	15:40	Francesco Ciardelli (Italy) Modification of Biorelated Macromolecules through Grafting of Short and Long Side Chains [abstract]
15:40	--	16:15	Yves Gnanou (France) Dextran Based Block Copolymers: Synthesis and Self Assembly in Solution [abstract]
16:30	--	18:30	Poster session, Wine and cheese Author-in-attendance time: 16:30--17:30 odd numbers, 17:30--18:30 even numbers
Tuesday, November 20				Studio 44
Chair: Danuta Ciechanska
9:00	--	9:35	Piet J. Lemstra (The Netherlands) Petro vs. Bio-based Plastics [abstract]
9:35	--	10:10	Jan Feijen (The Netherlands) Injectable Biodegradable Hydrogels for Protein Delivery [abstract]
10:10	--	10:40	Coffee break
Chair: Izabela Krucinska
10:40	--	11:15	Martin Moeller (Germany) Polyether - Polyester Conjugates for Biodegradable Hydrophilic Microgels and Hyperbranched Polymers [abstract]
11:15	--	11:50	Emo Chiellini (Italy) Hydro- and Oxo-Biodegradable Polymers from Fossil Feedstock vs. Their Counterparts from Renewable Resources [abstract]
11:50	--	12:25	Gerhart Braunegg (Austria) Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs): Biodegradable Polyesters from Agricultural Waste and Surplus Materials [abstract]
				Renaissance Penta Vienna Hotel
19:00	--	23:00	Conference Dinner
Wednesday, November 21				Scientific Centre
Chair: Andrej Krzan
9:00	--	9:35	Marek M. Kowalczuk (Poland) (Bio)degradation of Polymeric Materials Containing PHA and their Synthetic Analogues [abstract]
9:35	--	10:10	Andreas Greiner (Germany) Novel Biodegradable Polymers and Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering [abstract]
10:10	--	10:40	Coffee break
Chair: Gerhart Braunegg
10:40	--	11:15	Maria Nowakowska (Poland) Novel Photosensitizers Based on Polysaccharides [abstract]
11:15	--	11:50	Piotr Tomasik (Poland) The Polarized Light-Induced Enzymatic Formation and Degradation of Biopolymers [abstract]
11:50	--	12:00	Closing remarks

The conference programme will include oral presentation of invited lectures and poster presenation of contributed papers.

ABSTRACTS

The notification of acceptance of poster presentations will be sent to the authors by August 31, 2007.

An abstract book containing both poster and oral papers presented at the conference will be given to all attendees at the conference.

Online registration should be made through this web site.

FEE AND PAYMENT
Registration fee: regular -- 250 EUR, students^*) -- 200 EUR if paid by September 15, 2007 (early registration), EUR 300 and EUR 250 respectively after that date.

Payment should be made by bank transfer free of charges for the beneficiary.

Bank name:	Bank Austria Creditanstalt
Account name:	Polnische Akademie der Wissenschaften Wissenschaftliches Zentrum in Wien
IBAN:	AT 02 1200 0503 8729 1501
BIC (SWIFT):	BKAUATWW
For payment inside Austria:	BLZ 12 000, Kto-Nr. 503 872 915 01

The participant's name should be given on the bank transfer.

Attention: please use the above account numbers, not those printed in the second announcement, as they may be incorrect.

Conference participants are entitled to admission to all conference sessions, refreshments, welcome party, conference dinner. They will receive a booklet of abstracts at the conference and the conference proceedings published after the conference.

Cancellation
All cancellations of the registration must be sent in writing to the conference secretary. Payment will be refunded after the conference (full bank account details needed) minus an administrative fee of 20 EUR if cancellation is received before/on October 15, 2007. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after October 15, 2007. Refunds will be paid after the conference. Substitute participants will be accepted at no extra charge.

The conference proceedings will be printed at the beginning of 2008.
Full length papers of the invited lectures and selected posters will be published in Macromolecular Symposia. Authors should submit their manuscripts and the relevant files (on CDs) at the conference.

July 25, 2007
Submission of abstracts (online exclusively)

September 15, 2007
Early registration to the Conference (online exclusively)

November 20, 2007
Submission of papers to be published in the conference proceedings

The Conference sessions will take place in

Polish Academy of Sciences, Scientific Centre in Vienna
Boerhaavegasse 25, A-1030 Wien, Austria

and

Studio 44, Austrian Lotteries
Rennweg 44, A-1038 Wien, Austria

1 -- Scientific Centre

2 -- Studio 44 (enterance: Kleistgasse)

The distance between the Scientific Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Studio 44 is only 150 meters.
Both institutions are situated near the embassy district. Tram, city railway Schnellbahn and underground offer easy access to the Vienna city centre.

Many interesting sights are in walking distance from the conference venue, such as:

Belvedere Castle	-- 15 -- 20 min.
Polish Church at Rennweg (important place for the Polish community in Vienna)	-- 15 min.
Vienna State Opera	-- 25 -- 30 min.
Historical center of Vienna, most important sights (St. Stephan's Cathedral, Hofburg Imperial Palace)	-- 35 -- 40 min.

How to get there

From the railway station Südbahnhof:

1. take tram "0", east direction to Praterstern. After three stops get off at Rennweg. From there, you can walk about 6 minutes along the street Rennweg to the east (i.e. the house numbers have to increase). You can also take tram "71", direction to Kaiserebersdorf, after one stop get off at Kleistgasse;
2. take any S-Bahn train, direction Wien Mitte, Floridsdorf, get off the next stop at Rennweg, leave the station and cross the street Ungargasse, then follow the street Rennweg to the east, as above. At the left side, you will pass a small church (with a tiny garden in front of it), then you will see a shop BILLA at the corner Rennweg - Boerhaavegasse. Please turn to the left, the third building (No. 25) at the right side belongs to the Scientific Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences;
3. you can also walk from the Südbahnhof with streets Landstrasser Gürtel, Jaquingasse, Rennweg - it will take you 20 - 25 min.

From the Vienna International Airport:
the best way is to take the S-Bahn (not CAT), direction Wien Mitte, Floridsdorf. In the arrival hall you will find a sign leading you directly to the platform of the train (lift). Train leaves from the Airport every half an hour from 5:39 to 22:39. From the airport to Rennweg it takes 21 minutes. You can buy a ticket at the ticket machine at the platform. As your destination, please choose Wien-Mitte (the price: 3,40 EUR). Please get off at Rennweg, one stop before Wien-Mitte. Further proceed as above under (2).

Language

The conference and all related documentation will be in English.

Duration

The conference will begin with welcome party on Sunday, November 18, in the evening and will end on Wednesday, November 21, at midday.

Location

Vienna, the capital of Austria, boasts about 1.8 million inhabitants. It straddles both sides of the river Danube. In the north and in the west, the city is surrounded by the hills of the Wienerwald (Vienna Wood). The city is one of the most beautiful European capitals. Its origin dates back to the period of the Roman Empire. For several centuries, Vienna was the capital of the multinational Habsburg Empire. Hundreds of wonderful monuments, among them world-known museums were built during the Habsburgs' reign. The historic Centre of Vienna as well as the Schönbrunn Palace and Garden (situated outside the centre) are designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage areas. The city with its State Opera and famous concert halls has been acknowledged the musical capital of Europe.

Many universities and scientific institutes have their seats in Vienna. Some of them, representing life sciences, are located in the Campus Vienna Biocenter, not far from the conference venue. Due to the great number of international conferences and congresses, which are organized in Vienna, it is regarded as a "congress city". The United Nations Organization has one of its four official seats in Vienna (the others are in New York, Geneva and Nairobi). It is located in the Vienna International Centre, called UNO-City.

More information about Vienna can be found at www.wien.at.

Weather

Temperatures around 0 degrees centigrade are expected in Vienna during the conference. For up-to-date weather forecast see e.g. http://www.wetter.at/wetter/oesterreich/wien/wien.

Passport and Visa

Passport-holders from countries in Western and Central Europe as well as from Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Norway, USA require no visa to enter Austria. To find out, if you need a visa, please follow this link: www.bmaa.gv.at. If still in doubt about your visa situation, please check with your nearest Austrian embassy, consulate, or a travel agency for more information.
EU-citizens do not need passport to enter Austria, it is sufficient for them to have identity card (it does not apply to UK-citizens).

For your tourist visa application, you will need in general:

• Confirmed hotel booking
• Proof of sufficient financial means (e.g. recent bank book, recent bank statement or fixed deposit statement, salary statement by the employer)
• Letter from your employer confirming your leave (if applicable)
• Student identification (if applicable)
• Travel/medical incurance (minimum coverage EUR 30,000.-)
• Confirmed round trip airline ticket

Insurance

Conference participants are requested to make their own arrangements in respect of health and travel insurance. It is strongly recommended that EU-citizens (non-Austrian citizens) will take their European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) with them. The EHIC entitles the owner to reduced-cost, sometimes free, medical treatment that becomes necessary while they are in other EU-country.

Currency

The currency in Austria is the Euro

Electricity Supply

230 V, AC; 50 Hz

Hotels

There are plenty of hotels in Vienna. You can find below some of them located within walking distance from the conference venue. Contact the hotel of your choice and book your room in advance.

Accommodation over 50 Euro per person and night with breakfast
Renaissance Penta Vienna Hotel Ungargasse 60, A-1030 Wien Tel.: +43 1 71175 8001 Fax.: +43 1 71175 8146 E-mail: rhi.viese.reservation@renaissancehotels.com www.renaissancehotels.com/viese		4-star hotel. Approximate distance from the conference venue: 700 m. Special rates for conference attendees (if rooms are available): single room - 150 EUR double room (occupancy two people) - 171 EUR Please make your own reservations refering to the Renaissance hotel with the key-word "EPF/European Polymer Federation".
Lindner Hotel Am Belvedere Rennweg 12, A-1030 Wien Tel: +43 1 794 77 931 Fax +43 1 794 77 929 E-mail: reservierung.wien@lindnerhotels.at www.lindnerhotels.at		4-star hotel near the Belvedere Castle, to be opened in Summer 2007. Approximate distance from the conference venue: 800 m. Special rates for conference attendees (if rooms are available): single room - 117 EUR double room (occupancy two people) - 155 EUR. Please make your own reservations refering to the Lindner Hotel with the key-word "POLYMER CONFERENCE".
Hotel Artis Rennweg 51, A-1030 Wien Tel. +43 1 7132521 Fax +43 1 7145930 E-mail: reservierung@artis.at www.artis.at		4-star hotel situated close to the conference venue Approximate distance from the conference venue: 200 m. Special rates for conference attendees (if rooms are available): single room - 70 EUR double room (occupancy two people) - 100 EUR Please make your own reservations refering to the hotel Artis with the key-word "POLYMER CONFERENCE".

Accommodation up to 50 Euro per person and night with breakfast
Hotel Gabriel Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 165, A-1030 Wien Tel. +43 1 712 32 05 Fax +43 1 712 67 54-10 E-mail: office@hotel-gabriel.at www.hotel-gabriel.at		3-star hotel Approximate distance from the conference venue: 1000 m.
Hotel Pribitzer Rennweg 82, A-1030 Wien Tel. +43 1 7985774 Fax +43 1 7992682		Budget hotel Approximate distance from the conference venue: 500 m.

For more hotels you may use the following internet portals:
www.wien.info,
www.bookings.at/city/at/vienna.de.html

There is a possibility of accommodation in the premises of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Vienna for certain number of participants. Queries and requests for reservation can be sent together with the registration.

second announcement

Book of Abstracts (file size: 10MB)

Conference Secretary Dr. Andrzej Nadolny Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Centre in Vienna Boerhaavegasse 25, A-1030 Wien, Austria Tel.: +43 1 7135929-303 Fax: +43 1 7135929-301 E-mail: scicont.viennapan@ycn.com