MINNEAPOLIS, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Internationally recognized bioscience and biotechnology researchers will gather June 23-25, 2004, at the Minneapolis Convention Center to discuss new clinical care opportunities using combined medical technologies arising from bioscience exploration, including stem cell research, at Medical Alley’s(R) new MedEdge(TM) International Conference ( http://www.mededgeinternational.com/ ).
“MedEdge is the first conference of its kind,” said Don Gerhardt, Medical Alley’s president and CEO. “No other venue today brings together this wide range of international experts to exchange leading-edge advancements in health care, bioscience and biotechnology.”
“This conference should prove to be extremely valuable to attendees by providing an in-depth level of discovery and understanding in the rapidly growing field of bioscience,” said Omar Amirana, M.D., vice president of technology and business development for the Daig Division of St. Jude Medical. St. Jude Medical is a major sponsor of the conference.
Current and potential clinical applications created from emerging bioscience research will be reviewed by two of the conference’s key note speakers: Dr. Joseph M. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Guidant CRM; and Dr. Doris Taylor, PhD., professor of medicine and physiology, Medtronic Bakken chair, and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Repair at the University of Minnesota.
“The fusion of the proven benefits of medical device technology in providing site-specific therapy with the pluripotent attributes of emerging biologic therapeutics creates tremendous opportunity for revolutionary change in the way we view and treat disease,” said Dr. Smith.
“Cell therapy is a 21st century approach to treating the intractable problem of cardiovascular disease. This conference brings together the people who will make that happen,” said Dr. Taylor.
Among the more than 50 different educational sessions programmed during the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a variety of academic and clinical experts regarding the explosion of opportunities within bioscience and their potential applications in clinical care. These sessions feature a distinguished faculty speaking on critical topics regarding the future of bioscience and clinical practice.
Opportunities in Bioscience Technologies/Bioscience in a Clinical World - Dr. Robert Elde, Ph.D., dean of the College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, will speak about the advent of a new discipline -- engineering at the cellular and molecular levels -- and the acceleration and expansion of opportunities in biosciences arising from the human genome project. - Dr. Robert Schwartz, M.D., medical director, Minnesota Cardiovascular Research Institute, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, will speak on the role of creativity in advancing medical technology and patient care in the cardiac arena. His remarks will provide observations on the interaction of the individual, academic, government and commercial entities.
“The roles of basic cell and molecular science, device technology and translational research are exploding into an integrated discipline that is changing the face of clinical practice, especially in cardiovascular medicine,” said Dr. Schwartz. “We must form strong collaborations across these disciplines and integrate our respective laboratories to maximize the impact of our combined strengths,” he added.
Convergence of Biosciences and Medical Device Technology/Drug Delivery at the Heart of Combination Products
- Maura Donovan, Ph.D., senior research director, biosciences R&D and Bakken Fellow, Medtronic, Inc., will review progress to date on drug/device combination products, and the increasing emphasis on device/biologic combinations. - Byron Shen, Ph.D., business development manager, SurModics, Inc., will review the critical role drug delivery technologies play in enabling drug/device combination therapies and site specific drug delivery applications. - Dr. Nadine Ding, R&D advisor, Guidant Corporation, will speak about the latest developments in coatings technology for medical products.
“Medtronic has a successful history of combining drugs and biologics with medical devices to provide improved therapies for our patients,” said Dr. Donovan. “Focusing on the convergence of devices and biologics is consistent both with Medtronic’s mission and with the advances being made in medicine,” she added.
“We believe the ability to control and direct the delivery of therapeutic agents from medical devices will open up new possibilities and frontiers in the treatment of diseases,” Dr. Shen noted.
“When we first worked on drug eluting stent (DES) coating over 10 years ago, no one could image the impact of the drug-polymer-device combination on cardiology and patient’s life. With the current development trend of device and biological combination, the same impact could happen again,” Dr. Ding said.
The conference also will feature keynote presentations from Dr. Peter Agre, M.D., winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and professor of biological chemistry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and Dr. Bill Thomlinson, Ph.D., executive director of the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron facility in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Attendees also will have an opportunity to participate in wide-ranging sessions covering trends and emerging technologies, academic research, management issues, quality assurance, regulatory affairs and clinical research.
The Medical Alley region is one of the top areas of the world for healthcare discoveries and medical technology. Minnesota has been acknowledged in several studies as the number one knowledge/tech-based business source in the country, ranks in the top 10 for business and medtech patents, and is consistently rated as one of the top states for producing entrepreneurs and start up companies.
Conference highlights include half-day tours of Beckman Coulter, a leading supplier of laboratory instruments, and University of Minnesota Academic Health Center that will feature presentations from academic researchers on the latest medical science research. The conference will offer a full-day tour of Mayo Clinical Trial Services in Rochester, including opportunities to visit the main campus and hear a presentation about the institution. And, a full day tour of the Minneapolis Life Sciences Corridor will include visits to the Minneapolis Heart Hospital, the Midtown Exchange, and the Elliot Park Lifesciences Institute. The half-day and full-day tours will be offered on Tuesday, June 22, the day prior to the conference and provide a special opportunity for out of state and out of country visitors to tour world class facilities.
About MedEdge
Medical Alley’s MedEdge(TM) International Conference is a three-day educational conference and two-day trade show that has been developed for professionals in health care, medical technology and bioscience industries to showcase leading-edge technology and promote collaboration and innovation in health care and medical technology.
MedEdge International will unite a diverse range of top education, research, and corporate professionals working in the medical technology, life sciences, and biosciences industries. International participation includes speakers, attendees and sponsors from Canada, Great Britain, Israel, China, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Wales.
Industry-leading organizations, including Medtronic, Inc., Boston Scientific, St. Jude Medical, Guidant, and the Mayo Clinic, will participate in the conference, delivering presentations on new developments in medical treatments and technologies. In addition, top research institutions including the University of Minnesota will present academic research.
The conference content is enhanced through its partnerships with associations including the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and MNBIO. In addition, ASQ will chair different tracks on quality and technology.
About Medical Alley
Medical Alley(R) is a non-profit trade association that supports the healthcare industry in Minnesota and beyond. The goals of the association are to promote the interest and investment in Minnesota as a major center of health care achievement, research and innovation, focus on legislative issues, and provide members with educational opportunities. Member organizations are world leaders in medical devices, medical technology, life sciences, biosciences, education, research, and health care delivery.
Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available at http://www.mededgeinternational.com/ and http://www.medicalalley.org/ .
Medical Alley
CONTACT: Liz Rammer of Medical Alley, +1-952-542-3077, orlrammer@medicalalley.org; or Glenn Smith of MedEx Partners, LLC,+1-763-475-1116, or info@mededgeinternational.com
