PRESS RELEASE - PERSBERICHT

The Future of BioMed
A public dialogue organised by the Club of Amsterdam on May 28th.

Biomedicine is booming. Recent advances in Genomics, Systems Biology, Nanomedicine, Tissue Engineering,

Biophotonics and other disciplines have not only raised hopes for new drugs and diagnostics, but have also made it more likely than ever that real innovative products for improving Human Health will be available within 3-8 years.

The announcement on March 6 of this year that US president Obama ends Bush’s ban on embryo stem cell research will allow US researchers to catch up with their EU and Far-East colleagues, who were restricted in finding good stem cell sources for purposes of Tissue Engineering.

Microarray technology makes it possible and feasible to quickly monitor thousands of potentially active compounds in their ability to bind to receptors or affect cell metabolism, leading to new drugs.

Through genomics the expression of countless genes can be measured and the results can be used to develop personalized medicine, probiotics or functional foods.Biophotonics has become an extremely sensitive tool to support medical imaging on a molecular scale, leading to earlier diagnostics in cancer research, allowing for earlier intervention.

The presentations will focus on the above developments and their role in maintaining and improving human health.

Our speakers and topics are:

Arjen Brinkman, Director, Personal Space Technologies
Using Virtual Reality (VR) to improve human health

The amount of 3D and 4D data generated by CT, Ultrasound and MRI scanning equipment is exploding. However, the tools to analyze these complex volumetric datasets in a fast, easy and effective manner are virtually non existent.
By using the Personal Space Station (or PSS), a physician can now analyze the generated data without the use of a VR specialist, by simply holding the data, e.g. a scanned human hart, in his hands, resulting in a better and faster diagnosis.

Michael Münker, STEP 2 B.V.
Inventions to Innovation: Lessons from Medical Devices

The convergence of biology and engineering is supposed to turn health care into an information industry that promises significant advances. Yet in spite of a rapidly rising share of economic activity dedicated to health care, life expectancy in rich countries was fairly stable in recent decades. Innovation remains a tedious process that involves humans and regulations as much as inventions involve science. Michael Münker reflects on experiences with bringing novel medical devices to market and possible lessons they hold for future innovations.

Jeanine van de Wiel, Global Regulatory Affairs Manager, DSM Food Specialties
Personalized Nutrition, an emerging business area

The personalized Nutrition Emerging Business Area builds on DSM's strengths in nutrition, food and biotechnology. Based on scientific evidence Personalized Nutrition addresses certain health risks by offering tailor-made and specially developed nutritional products that fit individual consumers' genetic profiles and other factors, such as age and life style. This way health and wellness can be promoted, whereas the risk of certain health problems may be reduced. DSM also participates in a US start-up which develops and commercializes genetic tests for personalized health and wellness advice.

Our moderator is Gerhard Mulder, Senior Consultant, Syntens.


Supporter: Syntens

the future of BioMed
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Registration: 18:30-19:00, Conference: 19:00-21:15
Location: Syntens, De Ruyterkade 5, 1013 AA Amsterdam [Building of the Chamber of Commerce]
The conference language is English
http://www.clubofamsterdam.com/event.asp?contentid=794

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The Club of Amsterdam is an independent, international, future-oriented think tank involved in channelling preferred futures. It involves those who dare to think out of the box and those who don't just talk about the future but actively participate in shaping outcomes.

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http://www.clubofamsterdam.com

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