International Nanomedicine Conference bound for Sydney

With advances in nanotechnology, the future of medicine is taking shape on the nano-scale and making possible healthcare solutions once confined to the realm of science fiction; from microscopic robots that could soon be swimming around our bloodstream repairing cells and diagnosing diseases, to drugs with improved therapeutic properties that can selectively target affected regions of the body with cellular precision without damaging surrounding tissue.

The Australian Centre for NanoMedicine (ACN) at the University of New South Wales is at the forefront of this exciting new discipline and will host the third International Nanomedicine Conference from 2-4 July at the Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach, Sydney. The conference will bring together world-leading academics and clinicians to highlight important research into targeted drug-delivery systems, diagnostics and imaging, and regenerative medicine, all enabled by nanomedicine.

One nanometre is equivalent to one-billionth of a metre and is roughly 60,000 times thinner than a human hair, or the size of a single strand of DNA. By exploiting the biological, chemical and physical properties of materials at this scale, researchers can build devices and systems that improve disease detection and develop more effective therapies. The ACN is currently investigating strategies to better diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Keynote speakers include:

• Professor Alan Trounson - President of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
• Professor John Pickup - Professor of Diabetes and Metabolism at King’s College London

For a full list of speakers, the conference program, registration and more, visit http://www.oznanomed.org/.