Setting the Context of Nanomedicine for the Future

ESF and the University of Barcelona have established a new collaboration which settles the basis of a 5-year programme of research conferences activities in the Biomedical Field.

ESF Forward Look on Nanomedicine - 2005

The European Science Foundation (ESF) recently undertook a Forward Look on Nanomedicine defining the current status and future prospects in this new and important emerging field. The Report on this Forward Look PDF (1.5 MB) was universally well received in Europe and beyond as a landmark document setting the context of Nanomedicine for the future. One of the recommendations relating to research, training and improved communication was the need to establish a Pan-European conference series that was truly interdisciplinary in the field of Nanomedicine. The overall aim being to improve scientific exchange and dissemination at the leading edge of nanomedicine research and development (in all sub-disciplines of the field). Also it was considered essential to allow debate and discussion of ethical and societal issues and public engagement.

ESF-UB Conference on Nanomedicine - 2006

ESF-UB Conference Nanomedicine 2006 - A new Opportunity for improving Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment for Disease, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain, 15-20 September 2006

To meet these goals the ESF-UB Nanomedicine 2006 Conference was recently organised (Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain, 15-20 September 2006). This was the first in a series of biannual in-depth meetings that are devoted to the topic of "Nanomedicine". The meeting was a resounding success with approximately 110 delegates coming from 25 countries, principally from Europe, but not only. There were also world-leading experts from Australia, Canada and the USA presenting as invited speakers. The conference was opened with an overview of Nanomedicine, definition of the scope of the meeting and a statement of the aims of the conference. All delegates were asked to briefly introduce themselves (background, institution of origin, nature of their interest in Nanomedicine). Given the complex mixture of backgrounds present this was a very productive tactic and led to an informal atmosphere from the outset and promoted strong networking.
Moreover, 21 grants were awarded to enable early stage career researchers, including PhD students, postdoctoral scientists or first appointment staff to attend the meeting. These young scientists presented 51 posters and 18 challenging oral communications on a wide range of exciting and important Nanomedicine-related topics such as diagnostics to imaging, drug delivery to tissue repair, materials science to characterisation of nano-structures, ethics and public engagement. Delegate Profiles PDF1 (15.7 KB) PDF2 (14.5 KB)

The plenary and main lecture sessions were held in the mornings and evenings, leaving afternoons free for networking and poster sessions - lively discussions continued long into the night. The delegates equally represented a wide range of basic scientific disciplines (biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and materials science, the pharmaceutical sciences, medicine and theory and modelling), as well as philosophy, ethics and social sciences. They came from academic institutions, research institutes, hospitals, industry and additionally regulatory agencies, and there were also representatives of the general public.

The individual scientific sessions within the meeting focussed on the following topics, with invited lecturers to set the scene and experienced chairs to orchestrate the discussion:

  • Innovative in Materials Science & Device Engineering
  • Characterisation of Nanostructures & Surfaces
  • Diagnostics, Biosensors & Surgical Tools
  • Molecular & Patient Imaging
  • Nanopharmaceuticals & Systems designed to promote Tissue Repair
  • Nanotoxicology & Cellular Fate of Nanosized Particles
  • Regulation of Medicines, Diagnostics & Devices
  • Ethical & Societal Issues
  • Specific Clinical Applications.

There were 29 full talks, supporting extended and open discussion, and all lectures were limited to 30 min. to allow 15 min. for questions and further discussion and this proved a very successful model. A valuable and strong new network was brought together, building on the technical diversity of the delegates. The wide participation of industry leaders and clinicians at the conference brought the wider perspective of the requirements of translational R&D into healthcare practice.

Professor Bertil Andersson, ESF Chief Executive, and Dr. Josep Samitier i Martí, Vicerector de Política Internacional, University of Barcelona - Signature of the MoU between the ESF and the University of Barcelona, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain, 19 September 2006

The Nanomedicine 2006 conference was an ambitious experiment bringing together participants with extremely diverse backgrounds sharing a common interest in the nanomedicine. Nevertheless, the meeting proved an excellent exemplar of what can be achieved to create a lively, and high-level interdisciplinary exchange. This was achieved because of the high calibre and communication skills of the invited speakers and chairs, and not least the willingness of the audience to discuss and debate each presentation, even when the topic was outside their primary area of expertise.
In addition to the main conference, time was also allocated to two integral Workshops. One reviewed the current status of the European Technological Platform (ETP) on Nanomedicine - an activity that has been setting the strategic research agenda for FP7 - and the other discussed the training and continuing professional development needs for an integrated training programme in Nanomedicine.
The European Research Conference Nanomedicine 2006 was supported by a newly established collaboration between the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the University of Barcelona (UB). On the 19th of September 2006, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by both parties which launched a 5-year programme of research conferences activities in the Biomedical Field. Nanomedicine 2006 was the first in this meeting series.
This conference was organised via close collaboration between the EMRC (European Medical Research Councils) Unit of the ESF, the members of the Organising Committee (the membership of which being selected to provide input from the Steering Committee of the Forward Look exercise and also reflect a broad range of nanomedicine expertise) and the ESF Research Conferences Unit.

Future Research & Training in Nanomedicine - 2007/2009

A strategy for future Research and Training in Nanomedicine was agreed, and this will include parallel high level Nanomedicine Conferences, a biannual series of ESF Summer Schools in Nanomedicine and a series of in-depth Workshops that will provide a forum for discussion and/or education in specific sub-disciplines of nanomedicine. In addition a European Masters/Doctoral Training curriculum specifically for Nanomedicine is being developed that will involve a Pan-European consortium of academic institutions.

Workshop on Future Programmes for Training in Nanomedicine - Developing a Future Strategy:
Approximately 30 delegates participated in the workshop that discussed the future training needs relating to Nanomedicine (at all levels - see below), and strategy for its evolution over the next 5 years. After the scene setting presentations, future opportunities and strategies were discussed.
An Integrated Pan-European Training Programme PDF (13.4 KB)

  • Workshops
    The potential specialist workshops would last 1-2 days and be focussed to a particular nanomedicine-related topic, such as (for example):
    - Nanopharmaceuticals/Drug Delivery
    - Materials Science/ Biosensors/ Characterisation of Nanomaterials
    - Interactions between Nanoparticles and the Body
    - Magnetic Particles/Materials
    - Gene Delivery & Transfer
    - Atomic Force Microscopy in Nanomedicine
    - From Laboratory to Clinical Use: the Clinical Development
    - Regulatory System
  • Courses
    The laboratory-based techniques courses would last 2-5 days (eg the EMBO approach) and would allow for a component of hands-on laboratory training.
  • A European MSc/Doctoral School in Nanomedicine
    As part of a long-term strategy a group universities agreed to develop a curriculum for an European MSc/Doctoral School in Nanomedicine. This would teach nanomedicine across all the sub-disciplines of Nanomedicine using an integrated approach, but also allowing for specialisation. The founding group includes: University of Lisbon, Cardiff University, University of London, ICGEB Trieste, Universität Münster, GSF National Research Centre for Environment and Health, University of Munich.

Forthcoming Meetings & Summer Schools