BIOARTIFICIAL ORGANS--SCIENCE, MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY

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A conference, "Bioartificial Organs: Science, Medicine and Technology (Bio+AOII)", is proposed for July 18-22, 1998 (to be held in The Greenwood Inn, Banff, Alberta, Canada), to explore contemporary and emerging approaches to bioartificial organs as they interface with different fields. Biomedical applications will be highlighted. The intent is to make use of a truly interdisciplinary approach: chemistry, physical chemistry, materials science, polymer chemistry characterization, cell culture, recombinant DNA technology, bioprocess engineering, and clinical sciences. Specifically, it will bring together three groups of professionals, who do not normally interact at a single conference: (1) materials and polymer scientists, (2) bioprocess engineers, and (3) medical professionals. The emphasis will be at the cross-section of these three disciplines. The main coverage will be in the pancreas, liver, skin, dental and bone areas. The program will stress scientific fundamentals, evolve into applications and review the clinical status in each area. An attempt will be made to have approximately 25/25/50 percentage split amongst the polymer/ engineering/biological medical categories. In addition, it is expected that the participants will come from academia, industry and clinical institutions on approximately even basis. More specifically, the purpose of the conference is to: (1) Facilitate debate between biologists, medical professionals and polymer scientists regarding the design and preparation of novel biocompatible" materials. (2) Review and assessment of developments and needs for bioartificial organs through panel discussions. (3) Foster international, interdisciplinary collaborative research. (4) Provide the funding to involve young scientists in the science-medicine-technology interactions which characterize the congress. (5) Provide funding for minorities and women. (6) Publish an edited volume, within 10 months of the congress, containing the conference proceedings (The New York Academy of Sciences). The conference will have a Gordon Conference style. The Engineering Foundation (New York, NY) will assume primary responsibilities for administration, logistics, mechanics publicity, housing, and finances for the conference. The funding support is requested from NIH, NSF, Whitaker Fdn. Juvenile Diabetes Fdn., National Science and Engineering Fdn. (Canada), Ontario Center for Materials Research (Canada), FNS (Switzerland), European Union and from various other sources. The proceedings of the conference will be published as a peer reviewed volume.