CLEVELAND, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs will explore how nanotechnology, the tiniest of technologies, is transforming the future of medicine, materials and manufacturing during NANO Week, here, October 25 to 29.
Ohio Governor Bob Taft will help kick off NANO Week opening the first event, The Cleveland Clinic NanoMedicine Summit 2004. The week will conclude with the awarding of $50,000 to the winner of the first International Nanotechnology Business Idea Competition on October 29.
“Ohio is forging its way to the forefront of nanotechnology applications through its strengths and such leaders of research as Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the NASA Glenn Research Center, CAMP -- the Cleveland Advanced Manufacturing Program, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and The Ohio State University, and such leaders of industry as Ferro Corporation, iMEDD, Inc., Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc., Nanofilm, Ltd., and MetaMateria Partners, LLC,” Governor Taft said.
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation and control of materials as small as one billionth of a meter to develop new, or enhance existing, products and applications. While it is the smallest of technologies, the value of commercial applications for nanotechnology is estimated in the billions of dollars.
“Nanotechnology will be the driving force in the development of new products in a variety of industries. NANO Week will not only demonstrate those possibilities, but will also demonstrate Cleveland’s leadership in this emerging field,” said Mark Brandt, co-founder of the Nano-Network, the group that is organizing NANO Week.
The October 27 National Cancer Institute (NCI) symposium on the role of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a highlight of NANO Week.
“The NCI’s symposium offers cancer researchers an opportunity to underscore the importance of nanotechnology in advancing cancer care,” said Stanton Gerson, M.D., director of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Ireland Cancer Center of University Hospitals of Cleveland.
“Case investigators are approaching the field of nanotechnology for cancer research on a number of fronts,” Gerson said. “Investigators are developing improved methods of drug delivery including gene therapy through nano-scale particles and complexes that will target tumors. Our imaging research has developed new molecules that provide remarkable sensitivity and accuracy in cancer detection. Our nanotechnology experts are evaluating new nanostructures that will serve as platforms for many applications in cancer detection and cancer treatment.”
A number of local companies are making nanotechnology-based products, making this city an appropriate host for an event such as NANO Week.
“Our company has benefited from the tremendous research assets here in Northeast Ohio,” said Scott Rickert, president of Nanofilm, a maker of high- performance coatings for eyewear lenses, photonics and optical displays. “Over the course of the week, we’ll have opportunities to demonstrate to visiting entrepreneurs and researchers that their nanotech-based ventures would find fertile soil here to grow and prosper.”
One of the goals of the International Nanotechnology Business Idea Competition is to make entrepreneurs aware of the support Northeast Ohio can provide to emerging companies. The competition, which is offering more than $75,000 in prize money to the business ideas that can best meet a real need and be commercialized, received submissions from 14 states and four countries. A panel of venture capitalists, researchers and business executives will evaluate the entries before announcing the winners on October 29.
Schedule of NANO Week Events
October 25-26: The Cleveland Clinic NanoMedicine Summit 2004 - A world- class group of educators from the nanoscience world and the leading medical practitioners and researchers in the fields of cardiology, neurology, oncology, and orthopedics will be featured at this multidisciplinary scientific meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Center. More information is available at http://www.nanomedicinesummit.org/ .
October 27-28: The National Cancer Institute’s Nanotech Symposium Series -- The CASE Comprehensive Cancer Center is organizing this national conference featuring presentations from leading scientists in nanotechnology and cancer research. In bringing the developers of nanotechnology together with the scientific community, NCI hopes to focus on nanotechnology’s potential to advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer. Online registration is required at http://www.capconcorp.com/nci .
October 27-28: Nanoparticles -- Synthesis, Functionalization and Applications for Targeted Drug Delivery -- The Center for Business Intelligence designed this conference to bring together researchers and companies involved in the development of the next generation of pharmaceuticals that rely on nanotechnology to improve their delivery and effectiveness. Topics to be discussed include reformulating drugs using nanotechnology, commercialization strategies, and regulatory and legal guidelines. More information is available at the CBI’s Web site: http://www.cbinet.com/ .
October 28-29: The International Nanotechnology Business Idea Competition -- A panel of judges, including venture capitalists, nanotechnology researchers and entrepreneurs will select the top business ideas that can best meet a real need and be commercialized in this global competition. To purchase tickets for the October 28th contestants’ reception or the October 29th winners’ reception or to receive more information please contact Colette Taylor at 216-592-2323, or ctaylor@gcpartnership.com.
Nano-Network
CONTACT: Chris Thompson, Vice President, ccthompson@edwardhoward.com ,or Brian Edelstein, Account Executive, bedelstein@edwardhoward.com , both ofEdward Howard & Co., +1-216-781-2400, or fax, +1-216-781-8810, forNano-Network
