BIO Deutschland, one of Germany’s national biotechnology organisations, invited members of the German press to discuss current topics regarding the vibrant biotechnology sector as well as the relationship between press officers and journalists and the culture of debate, respectively. Joachim Müller-Jung (chief editor for the nature and science section of the nationwide newspaper „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung“), Martin Langer (Executive Vice President Corporate Development BRAIN AG, a leading corporation in the field of industrial biotechnology), Boris Fehse (Professor und Group Leader for cell and gene therapy, University Hospital Hamburg) and Horst Rehberger (retired minister and president of the “Forum Grüne Vernunft”, an association that aims to educate the general public about green gene technology) gave short keynote speeches which were followed by animated discussions.