International leaders in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology will gather at the University of Queensland’s St Lucia campus for two of the world’s biggest nanobio conferences in the coming week.
The fifth International NanoBio Conference and the third International Conference on BioNano Innovation will be held at UQ from 6 to 10 July.
This year, the two conferences are being combined under the banner NanoBio Australia 2014, co-chaired by UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) Deputy Director Professor Matt Trau and CSIRO biomedical materials expert Dr Keith McLean.
Professor Trau said the conference would feature a diverse array of multi-disciplinary science designed to connect world-leading scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs working in biology, nanoscience and nanotechnology.
“We’ve secured six international plenary speakers, including award-winning biologist Dr Leroy Hood from Seattle, who invented automated DNA sequencing, Harvard biochemist Professor Pamela Silver and UK biomedical materials expert Professor Molly Steven,” he said.
“With about 500 participants expected on campus, it will be a high-level gathering of scientists aiming to make improvements in areas as diverse as stem cells, human tissue regeneration, nanotechnology-based vaccine and drug development and portable diagnostics.
“There will also be discussions about innovative nanotechnologies for energy and the environmental needs of the future.”
The conference will also feature a one-day Industries of the Future Symposium with speakers including CSO and Cochlear Ltd founder Dr Jim Patrick, CSO and Pacific Biosciences founder Dr Steve Turner and a second lecture by Dr Hood, who will reflect on his experiences founding 15 successful international companies, including Amgen and Applied Biosystems.
A dedicated one-day Early Career Symposium will encourage young scientists and engineers in this rapidly evolving area.
Media: Petrina Gilmore, 0413 619 642, 3346 3899, p.gilmore@uq.edu.au.
