NanoSMat 2008: Intersection of nanostructured materials with medicine

It is widely held that increased interaction between researchers in medicine and materials will spark new ideas for future technology developments. A key feature of the field of nanotechnology is its interdisciplinary nature. Perhaps the most interdisciplinary and exciting area within nanotechnology is nanomedicine. The Third International Meeting on Surfaces, Coatings, and Nanostructured Materials (NanoSMat 2008 meeting) sought to highlight the intersection of nanostructured materials with medicine and biotechnology.

The first NanoSMat conference was held in Aveiro, Portugal in 2005, the second in Algarve, Portugal in 2007. A star attraction of these meetings was Professor Sir Harry Kroto, Nobel laureate in chemistry. The third conference was convened 21–24 October 2008 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Sponsorship for NanoSMat 2008 was provided by Tethis (Italy), Nanotec Electronics (Germany), nanoSurf (Switzerland), CNC Coatings (United Kingdom), and Society of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (United Kingdom). Presentations were made in plenary sessions and four symposia:

A live performance of “Rercuerdos de la Alhambra,” a famous composition for solo guitar by F. Tárrega, set the meeting in motion. Several keynote talks followed in a plenary session, by investigators from The Netherlands, Germany, and United States.

The Nanomedicine Symposium featured investigators from Brazil, Poland, Finland, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Korea, Iran, Spain, Switzerland, and United States in oral sessions and poster sessions. Presentations covered a broad range of areas within nanomedicine, including theory, computation, experiment, commercialization, and health and safety. Notable talks were given by Ueli Aebi (Biozentrum, University of Basel, Switzerland), Gleb Sukhorukov (Queen Mary University of London, UK), Jag Sankar (North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA), and Stephanie Hooker (National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA). The keynote address, titled “Nanomedicine: On a Nano-Mission to Have a Giga-Impact,” was an introduction to the subject for researchers outside medicine or biology. This talk covered key features of molecular biophysics, recent advances in technology development, reasons to be optimistic and cautious regarding technology commercialization, and the projected global economic impact of commercialization in nanomedicine.

A highlight of the conference was the sumptuous banquet featuring local cuisine and libations. Select attendees were honored for their work. The best poster award for nanomedicine went to Lionel Fernel Gamarra Contreras and coworkers of Instituto Isrealita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil, for “Method for the Quantification of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles by FMR of Biological Materials.” Live entertainment was provided by a world-renowned quartet of flamenco dancers and singers.

Planning for NanoSMat 2009 conference is in the works. The meeting is scheduled for 13–16 October in “The Eternal City,” Rome. See http://www.nanosmat2009.com/ for the current details.