The Foro Argentino de Biotecnología (FAB) was established in November 1986 as a non-profit-making foundation on the initiative of three pioneer enterprises in the biotechnology area, under the honorary presidency of Dr. Federico Leloir (Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1970).

The FAB is leaded by a Board of Directors composed by an Executive Committee and an Ordinary Member Board, whose positions are renovated every three years. Besides, the FAB has an Honorary Committee Board integrated by the National Secretariat of Science and Technology, National Secretariat of Agriculture, Food and Fishing, the presidents of the Science and Technology Committees of both Senate and Representatives chambers of the National Congress and the Argentine-Brazilian Biotechnology Centre (CABBIO). FAB activities are implemented and supervised by a General Manager and a Scientific Director.

The FAB focuses on:

1) Biotechnology diffusion throughout the country.

2) To foster the national policies in the biotechnological area promoting the public debate.

3) To encourage the public discussion, debate and awareness of the biotechnological impact as well as Argentina’s challenge in keeping up with the biotechnology development all over the world.

4) To promote, support and spread the different private and public Argentine biotechnology initiatives.

5) To foster the collaboration between the Argentine scientific and business communities.

6) To represent the private biotechnology sector in front of governmental and other institutions and entities.

7) To act as a linking tool in strategy development between the private, governmental and academic sectors.

8) To establish relations with foreign similar associations.

In order to accomplish the above mentioned goals, the FAB organises lectures, seminars, meetings and courses throughout the country. FAB also publishes a Bulletin covering national and international biotechnology news and related general information as well. They have created a data bank on private and national institutions, companies, etc. associated with the biotechnological activity. They maintain a fluent dialogue with governmental and institutional representatives through special working meetings, with the participation of all the biotechnology chore players.

The FAB formed a technical counsel committee to carry out studies and investigations on specific biotechnology topics, and to cooperate with the technical aspects of the different FAB activities. This technical committee is composed of representatives of national R&D institutions, universities and private companies.

The FAB has been involved in the constitution of two national counselling commissions, where FAB representatives actively participate. One is the National Commission of Agricultural Biotechnology (CONABIA), in charge of giving advice to the National Secretariat of Agriculture, Food and Fishing - from which it depends - on all the biotechnological related subjects. The other one, is the National Commission of Biotechnology and Heath (CONBYSA), which depends on the National Secretariat of Health. This Commission started working in 1993, and its purpose is giving advice to this Secretariat on all the subjects related to biotechnology and human health.