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Do you identify with any of the following groups?

  • Scientists and engineers working on the research and development of new materials, products, and processes for medical applications
  • Manufacturers and marketers working to put these technological advancements into practice by developing effective products, devices, and treatments
  • Doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners looking to help shape products and processes that will enable them to treat patients more effectively

If so, then I have good news—you’ve still got time to register for the Biomedical Materials: Focus on Ceramics conference, although the May 15 deadline for abstract submission is coming faster than charge carriers on graphene nanoribbons. (Okay, maybe not THAT fast, but still.)

The conference, July 30–August 1 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown in Ohio’s capital city, is best described by the Bioceramics 2014 website: “Bioceramics 2014 is designed to bring together applied researchers, medical practitioners and medical ceramic materials manufacturers & marketers to better develop emerging technologies, treatments, and products and devices.” To meet the needs of its diverse crowd, the meeting will cover the healthcare environment, clinical applications, materials characterization, and surgical trends in the biomedical materials field.

Bioceramics 2014 is featuring a new rapid-fire presentation session, during which presenters will be given just two brief minutes to stand up and present their work to conference attendees. But don’t panic—presentations will be followed by a poster session for more in-depth discussions (and to hand out those business cards!).

Beyond presentations and posters, the conference will feature four plenary talks and eight panel discussions to maximize dialogue between participants. Plenary sessions will include talks by Hyun Bae, a surgeon at The Spine Institute (Santa Monica, Calif.), Safdar Khan, chief of the division of spine at Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio), and Glenn Stiegman, vice president for clinical and regulatory affairs at Musculoskeletal Clinical Regulatory Advisers, LLC (New York, N.Y.).

Larry Hench, professor at Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, Fla.) will also deliver a plenary talk entitled “Affordable Healthcare? Role of Bio-ceramic Technology, Socio-economic, and Ethical Issues.”

Coincidently but separately, Hench is also featured in a soon-to-be-released short course video series entitled “Bioceramics: Advances and Challenges for Affordable Healthcare.” The course is the first in a series of educational program DVDs produced in partnership between Florida Institute of Technology and ACerS.

Mark Mecklenborg, ACerS director of Technical Publications and Meetings, says, “The American Ceramic Society is thrilled to partner with Professor Larry Hench and Florida Tech to offer this information-packed introductory short course on bioceramics and their uses in healthcare. Dr. Hench has been a champion of bioceramics and bioactive glasses for years and continues to be involved in the development of innovative materials and products that are changing our world for the better.”

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A screenshot of the FIT–ACerS video series featuring Larry Hench. Credit: FIT

The video series features five lectures:

  • Lecture 1: Healthcare Cost and Quality Needs; Healthcare Revolutions; and 3rd Generation Bioceramics for Tissue Regeneration
  • Lecture 2: Clinical Applications of 3rd Generation Bioactive Glasses
  • Lecture 3: Gene Activation and Osteostimulation: The Clinical Success of Bioglass
  • Lecture 4: New Developments in Bioceramics; Preventative Healthcare Products
  • Lecture 5: Florida Tech Online Courses to Meet These Challenges

In the beginning of the short course video, Hench says the course’s objective is to provide a quick overview of bioceramics in just a few lectures. Florida Tech’s online resources will support additional information, and an eventual goal is to expand the online bioceramics continuing education program to offer certification.

So don’t forget to show mom some love this weekend (Sunday is Mother’s Day, ahem) and don’t forget to register and submit your abstract for Bioceramics 2014!

Title credit: Full props to the Piano Man, Billy Joel!

Feature image credit: Wikimedia CC 

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