Sensor For The Future Highlighted At ACS Symposium

Main Category: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry;  Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Article Date: 22 Aug 2007 - 3:00 PDT

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Your annual physical examination of the future may include a blood 'barcode' scan, which instantly provides the doctor with information to diagnose a wide-range of diseases. New generations of novel polymers will be available to replace damaged blood vessels. And in a security-minded world outside, tiny but ultra-sensitive sensors will monitor the environment for bioterrorism agents.

These and other potentially revolutionary research developments of the future were on the agenda when five renowned chemists and inventors gathered to describe the challenges and opportunities for commercializing new technologies. The elite panel were part of a special Presidential symposium, "Material Innovations: from Nanotech to Biotech and Beyond," at 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

The speakers included Charles Lieber and George Whitesides, of Harvard University; Jeremy Berg, Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the National Institutes of Health; David Tirrell, of the California Institute of Technology; and Chad Mirkin, of Northwestern University.

"These distinguished researchers have pioneered the development of cutting-edge technologies that promise to improve human health and productivity in the future," says ACS President Catherine T. ('Katie') Hunt, who presided at the symposium and moderated a panel discussion afterward. The symposium is part of the overall national meeting theme of Biotechnology for Health and Wellness.

"They shared their perspective of taking a fundamental concept in materials and biological science and bringing that concept forward through research, and ultimately achieving commercialization of a new product," said Hunt. Many of the speakers have started their own companies or are on the boards of multiple start-up companies, she noted.

The presentations in this symposium (PRES 1-5) take place in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, followed immediately by a panel discussion featuring the speakers.

Several other noteworthy Presidential events took place at the same location. Highlighted events included:

* A special symposium commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ACS Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of chemical information. CAS is recognized as a National Historic Chemical Landmark: http://acswebcontent.acs.org/landmarks/landmarks/cas/abstracts.html

* A symposium honoring the contributions of Roald Hoffmann, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Speakers included noted researcher and book author Oliver Sacks ('Uncle Tungsten' and 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat').

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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The American Chemical Society -- the world's largest scientific society -- is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Source:
Charmayne Marsh
Michael Bernstein
American Chemical Society