Nano(particles) for Cell Biology

Date: 12th June 2012
Venue: Hughes Hall, Cambridge

This meeting aims to explore potential networking and collaboration opportunities between Nano areas in physical sciences and engineering of today, and towards applications in biological and clinical sciences of tomorrow. This interdisciplinary field carries enormous potential, yet it is still relatively unexplored. Foreseeable advances that can be made when life- and nano-science join forces range from development of new imaging techniques, through effective diagnosis tools and therapies to in-depth understanding of cellular processes and behaviour.  A wide range of world-leading expertise relevant to this agenda is already present at University of Cambridge. The NanoForum workshop in June 2012 aims to bring the experts together to forge new links facilitating future high impact results.
The workshop will be divided into the following main themes:

  • Nano for BioImaging and Clinical Applications

  • Nano in Cell Biology: Manipulation and Process Tracking

Chair:

Ben Simons, Department of Physics, Theory of Condensed Matter Group.
 

Program:

9:00     Registration. Meet your future collaborators over coffee.
9:30     Introduction by Ben Simons
 

Session 1:  Nano for BioImaging and Clinical Applications

9:45     Nano for Medicine:

“Introduction to Nanoparticles” – Adam Boies / Oren Scherman

“Proteins as Nanoparticles” – Tuomas Knowles

“Tumour Marking with Nanoparticles” – Colin Watts

“Nanoparticles in Clinical Treatment” – Su Metcalfe

10:45    Coffee and discussion
11:00    Nano in Imaging:

“Optical Imaging” – Ulrich Keyser

“Mechanical Imaging” – Kristian Franze

11:30     Brainstorming I
12:00     Lunch and 1-2-1 discussions
 

Session 2: Nano in Cell Biology: Manipulation and Process Tracking

12:45     Nano for Cell Processes:

“Intracellular Processes and Nanoparticles” – Murray Stewart

“Studying Cell Function with Nano” – Kevin Chalut

13:15    Nano for Cell Manipulation:

“Nano for Cell Behaviour Studies and Manipulation” – Pietro Cicuta

“NanoFabrication” – Charles Smith

13:45    Coffee and discussion
14:00    Brainstorming II
14:30    Summary and road-mapping session
15:00    Closing remarks
 
 

Invited speakers and participants:

 

To stimulate brainstorming that forms the central part of this workshop, speakers (see programme above) were asked to provide a snapshot presentation of his/her field and opportunities it presents. A portfolio (hyperlinked PDF) of all participants can be found  here: NP4CB Portfolio .
The list of invited participants, below, is ordered alphabetically by surname, and still growing (*=confirmed):

  Christopher Abell, Department of Chemistry, Abell Group.
*Jim Ajioka, Department of Pathology, Parasitology, Ajioka Lab.
*Nick Bampos, Department of Chemistry, Bampos Group.
*Paul Barker, Department of Chemistry, Barker Group.
*Adam Boies, Department of Engineering, Energy Group.
*Rafael Carazo Salas, Gurdon Institute, Carazo Salas Group.
*Kevin Chalut, Department of Physics, Biophotonics and the Physics of Pluripotency.
*Pietro Cicuta , Department of Physics, Soft Matter and Biological Physics Group.
*Paul Dear, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Single Molecule Genomics Group.
*Erika Eiser, Department of Physics, Biological and Soft Systems Group.
*Kristian Franze, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
*Luis Garcia-Gancedo, Department of Engineering, Electronic Devices and Materials Group.
*Raymond Goldstein, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences.
  Jim Haseloff, Department of Plant Sciences, Synthetic Biology and Engineering of Plant Systems. (apologies)
  Clemens Kaminski, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Laser Analytics Group. (apologies)
*Ragnhildur Thora Karadottir, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Brain Repair Centre.
*Ulrich Keyser, Department of Physics, Biological and Soft Systems Group.
*Tuomas Knowles, Department of Chemistry, Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry Group.
*Sumeet Mahajan, Deparment of Genetics and Department of Physics, Physics of Medicine.
*Su Metcalfe, Department of Neurology, Brain Repair Centre.
*Gos Micklem – Department of Genetics, Bioinformatics and Genomics Group.
*Jonathon Pines, Gurdon Institute, Pines Group.
*Richard Prager, Department of Engineering, Medical Imaging Group.
*Stefanie Reichelt, Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Research Institute, Light Microscopy Group.
*Oren Scherman, Department of Chemistry, Melville Laboratory.
  Michael Simmons, Centre for Scientific Computing.
*Ben Simons, Department of Physics, Theory of Condensed Matter Group.
*Jeremy Skepper, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, The Multi-Imaging Centre.
*Charles Smith, Department of Physics, Semiconductors Physics Group.
*Murray Stewart, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Structural Cell Biology Group.
*Avnesh Thakor,  Department of Radiology.
  Emmanuelle Viré, Gurdon Institute, The Kouzarides Lab.
*Colin Watts, Brain Repair Centre, School of Clinical Medicine.
 

Discussions and brainstorming with the audience are a key part of this workshop.

This workshop is organised by Juan Francisco Abenza Martínez (NanoForum Fellow) and Aga Iwasiewicz-Wabnig (NanoForum Coordinator). The other NanoForum Fellows will also attend.