Upcoming Conferences and Publications

NCL scientists will be teaching at the Biotechnology Traning Course (BioTrac) at NIH: BioTrac 32 Nanotechnology in Medicine, July 28-30, 2008 in Bethesda, MD.
Link to info

In this three-day training program, participants will learn the history of nanotechnology in medicine through reading and discussing the primary literature. Participants will learn to prepare and use materials. These techniques will also be used to deliver drugs and genes to cells in vitro during the laboratory portion of this course. Lecture and detailed instructions to generate nanoparticles from raw materials for diagnostics and therapeutic delivery will also be included.

The NCL is co-hosting an ACS Analytical Chemistry symposium on Frontiers in Nanoscale Materials Analyses at the 2008 American Chemical Society meeting, August 17-21, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA.

This very timely symposium addresses cutting-edge developments and technical challenges related to the separation, characterization, and use of nanomaterials. It aims to bring together the diverse groups of researchers working with different aspects of nanomaterials and create new synergies that promote breakthrough advances. Speakers are drawn from the chemistry, material science, medical, and engineering communities.

The NCL, in collaboration with NIST and ASTM will host a workshop on Answering the Need for Standardization in Nanomaterial Measurements, October 6th-9th 2008 at the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, MD.

This Workshop has several objectives:

• Announcement/dissemination of the results from three recent interlaboratory studies using ASTM standards (E2524, E2526, and WK8705) and involving the recently released NIST nano-gold reference materials.
• Formation of an international network of qualified and willing testing laboratories to facilitate development of future interlaboratory studies and protocol development
• Demonstration of prototype software for electronic development of pre-standards protocols and for management of interlaboratory studies to support standards and protocol development
• Prioritization and generation of projects by the workshop participants to develop several new protocols and interlaboratory studies
• Establishment of preliminary guidelines for the operation and management of the laboratory network and interactive electronic portal

The NCL is hosting a workshop on Considerations in Preclinical Immunotoxicity Assessment of Engineered Nanomaterials in November 2008 at the NCI-Frederick campus in Frederick, MD.

This workshop will cover nanoparticle-mediated immunostimulation, immunosupression, critical parameters in the identification of nanoparticle immunotoxicity hazards, risk assessment, and preclinical safety evaluation of nanomaterials, including in vitro models and animal testing.

The NCL will be involved in the 2008 meeting of the ASTM Committee on Nanotechnology (E56), Monday November 17th 2008 - Wednesday November 19th 2008 in Miami Beach, FL.

The NCL has proposed a symposium at the 2009 Society of Toxicology (SOT) meeting on The Use of Nanotechnology to Improve Chemotherapeutic Safety Profiles. This will be held in Baltimore, MD, March 15-19th, 2009.
Link to meeting info

This symposium will specifically address how nanotechnology can improve chemotherapeutic safety profiles, giving new life to familiar therapeutics. Aspects of preclinical development and regulatory evaluation of nanotechnology-based cancer agents will also be addressed.