| Professor Graeme Clark (centre) who will present the Public Plenary ... Professor Graeme Clark (centre) who will present the Public Plenary Lecture at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Symposium on Nanobionics on Sunday June 22 flanked by symposium co-chairs Professor Robert Kapsa (left) from St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Professor Gordon Wallace (UOW) |
Asia-Pacific Symposium to herald latest developments in nanobionics
17 Jun 2008 | Bernie Goldie
The inaugural Asia-Pacific Symposium on Nanobionics will be hosted by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science at UOW’s Innovation Campus from 22-25 June.
The centre has its headquarters at the University of Wollongong with Victorian nodes at Monash University, St Vincent’s Hospital and the Bionic Ear Institute.
Speakers from Ireland, France, Italy, UK, US, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand will explore the emerging field of nanobionics at this major symposium.
The field of nanobionics is the merging of biology and electronics using the most recent advances in nanotechnology.
The potential implications for health and medical research and the increased quality of life for patients are highly significant, according to the Executive Research Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science and Director of the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, Professor Gordon Wallace.
The opening address at the symposium on Sunday 22 June will be delivered by the CEO of the Australian Research Council, Professor Margaret Sheil and the Public Plenary Lecture on the topic “Interfacing the World to Human Consciousness” will be given by the inventor of the bionic ear, Professor Graeme Clark. The opening session will be chaired by UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gerard Sutton. (For tickets to the Public Plenary Lecture contact Bec Potter)
The bionic ear is a prime example of one successful application of nanobionics research. The device uses an electrode array inside the cochlea to electrically stimulate nerve endings to transmit the appropriate signals to the brain.
Conducting, intelligent polymers have contributed greatly to the field of nanobioncs. These conductors are often biocompatible, and are therefore ideal for bridging interfaces between biology and electronics. Spinal cord prostheses, in development under the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science program, aims to use intelligent polymers to promote nerve growth in spinal cord repair.
Other symposium plenary speakers include Professor Adam Heller from the University of Texas who will speak on “A Roadmap to Implanted Biofuel Cells”; Professor Danilo De Rossi (University of Pisa) speaking on “Wearable Health Monitoring”; and Professor Dermot Diamond (Dublin City University) speaking on “Autonomous Monitoring , the Worldwide Web and your Health”.
Among other topical addresses to be presented are: Dr Simon Koblar (University of Adelaide), “Brain Repair in Stroke: Stem Cell Therapy and Nanotechnology Possibilities”; Associate Professor Gregg Suaning (University of New South Wales), Implantable Bionics: Considerations for Restoring Vision to the Blind”; Professor Mark Cook (St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne), “Novel Therapies for Epilepsy”; Professor Lanqun Mao (Chinese Academy of Sciences), “Enzymatic Biofuel Cells: Challenges and Opportunities”; and Professor Robert Kapsa (St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne), “Bio-Polymers and Stem Cells for Nerve and Muscle Engineering”.
For further information visit the following website www.electromaterials.edu.au
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