Emerging Technology Conference 2009 – Oct 19 – 20th

Join us for this groundbreaking, two-day conference! Find out more about innovative research being conducted in nanotechnology, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, medical device development and diagnostics. Researchers from the US and Ireland will come together to present on cutting-edge research that may help shape the future of how we use nanotechnology and biological sciences in manufacturing and medical diagnostics.

Speakers at the US/Ireland Emerging Technologies Conference will include scientists from the University of Massachusetts, Dublin City University (Dublin, Ireland), Queen’s University (Belfast, Northern Ireland), Northeastern University and other industry presenters.

Dates: 10/19/2009 – 10/20/2009
Venue: UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center
Street Address: 50 Warren Street
City, State: Lowell, MA 01852
Contact: 978-934-2405, EmergingTechnology@uml.edu
http://continuinged.uml.edu/emergingtech/

BIOPHARMACEUTICALS AND BIOPROCESSING

A changing regulatory environment and the introduction of biosimilars has put pressure on biopharmaceutical manufacturers to lower production costs and refocus on product quality. These Biopharmaceuticals and Bioprocessing sessions will cover innovative production, purification, and analytical technologies that will help biomanufacturers solve these challenging industry conditions.

Researchers will present on:

• Innovative Technologies in the Manufacture of Biopharmaceuticals
• Developing Immunoassays for Bioprocess Analysis and Diagnostics
• Ireland’s Center for BioAnalytical Sciences (CBAS): A Biopharmaceutical Perspective
• Better Enzymes for Biosensors
• Covalent Aggregation of Protein Therapeutics: A Case Study
• Physical-Chemical Sensors: Application to Bioreactor Monitoring and Control

MEDICAL DEVICE TECHNOLOGIES

Medical devices have emerged as an innovative and profitable area of research and development. The key to commercialization of novel medical devices is transitioning from a research lab through design, manufacturing, business formation and FDA/clinical approval. These Medical Device Technologies sessions will cover novel devices, MedTech startups, novel processing and tissue engineering, as well as clinical trials for medical devices.

Researchers will present on:

• Novel Medical Devices from Massachusetts Start-Ups
• Bone Substitute Materials
• A Flexible Method for the Preparation of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds
• Tailoring Resorption Rates of Biodegradable Polymers
• Overcoming the Challenges of Clinical Trials for Medical Devices
• Supercritical Fluid Assisted Processing of Polymers for Medical Use
• Multifunctional Additives for Medical Polymers

NANO/BIOSENSORS

These sessions will present novel, innovative nano- and microtechnology- based sensors aimed at point-of-care medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and chemical detection (including explosives). A variety of sensor platforms will be discussed, including antibody-based, living-cell-based, and electrical and optical property-based devices.

• Sensors for Chemical and Biological Threats
• Advanced Polymer Micro- and Nanofabrication for Next Generation Diagnostic Lab-on-a-Chip Platforms
• Novel Biosensor Platforms for Medical Diagnostics
• In-Vivo Multi-Biomarker Nano-Biosensor
• The Nanocanary: A Living Cell Biosensor for Environmental Monitoring
• Optical Fiber Sensors for Bioapplications
• Panel Discussion

NANOMANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

The transfer of nanoscience accomplishments into useful technology is severely hindered by a lack of understanding of the barriers to nanoscale manufacturing. Nanotechnology-based commercial products cannot be realized without first understanding how one can assemble and connect trillions of nanoelements, how to prevent failures and avoid defects, and how to develop responsible manufacturing processes. Speakers will present on recent micro and nanomanufacturing developments with focus on biological and medical applications.

• Directed Assembly of Polymer Blends as Platform for Bio/Medical Devices
• Processing and Performance of Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites:
• Implications and Performance in Medical Devices and Packaging
• BioModular Multi-Scale Systems
• Molding Microstructures for Medical Applications
• On-Line Monitoring of Nanocomposite/Biomaterial Compounding for Process Optimisation
• Issues in Commercialization of Nanotechnology
• Panel Discussion