Short Course Description

Introduction to Nanobiotechnology

Who Should Attend

Anyone interested in a general overview of how to use nanometer scale materials and nanofabrication for the development of novel assays and devices for the life sciences.

How You'll Benefit From This Course

• Become aware of the promises and limitations of nanobiotechnology.
• Learn about unique material properties that arise at the nanoscale.
• Find out how to interface man-made with biological nanostructures.
• Learn about different approaches for the fabrication of nanoscale devices.
• Discuss specific applications of nanobiotechnology, their implications for medical diagnostics and the biomedical industry in general, and some recent examples of their commercialization.

Course Topics

• Introduction: what is nanobiotechnology?
• Material properties at the nanoscale: metal nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, etc.
• In vitro and cell based assays using nanoscale materials
• Therapeutic approaches and drug delivery using nanoscale materials
• Imaging, manipulation, and fabrication at the nanoscale
• Integrated Biomembrane Solid-state Nanodevices
• Impacts from the fusion of biology, nanotechnology, and informatics
• Emerging scientific and commercial applications

Course Fee: US $500/$600*

Course Format: Lecture

Class Limit: 40

Instructors:

Angelika Niemz, Ph.D. Keck Graduate Institute Claremount, California USA

Angelika Niemz's research interests are focused on self-assembly and molecular recognition in biological and man-made systems, with application to biosensor development and materials synthesis. Her current research focuses on self-assembly ordering at the nanoscale, and on the use of nanoscale materials for molecular diagnostics applications.

B.S. Chemistry — University of Konstanz (Germany)
Ph.D. Chemistry — University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
Postdoc Chemical Engineering — California Institute of Technology (Pasadena)
Assistant Professor — Keck Graduate Institute

Dean Ho, Ph.D. Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois USA

Dean Ho is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Full Member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University where he directs the Laboratory for Nanoscale Biotic-Abiotic Systems Engineering (N-BASE).

His research has covered emerging areas of bio-nano-technology and protein-functionalized materials. Dr. Ho and his colleagues were the first to develop nanodiamond materials for therapeutic delivery. In addition, Dr. Ho has been among the first to demonstrate the coupling of protein function with a polymer film to fabricate nano energy conversion systems. This work was published in a Cover Article in the peer-reviewed journal, Nanotechnology as well as a featured article in Nanotechnology. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers in the areas of nanomedicine, drug delivery, and nanomaterials.

Currently, Dr. Ho is investigating the fabrication of nanodiamond-based technologies for drug delivery, glucocorticoid-functionalized materials as anti-inflammatory coatings to enhance implant biocompatibility, as well as localized and targeted chemotherapy using novel nanomaterial devices. Dr. Ho's extensive research achievements have garnered news coverage on CNN.com, Nature, United Press International, Reuters, Yahoo, MICRO/NANO, as well as BBC Radio. Dr. Ho is currently an Associate Editor of the Journal of Nanotechnology Law and Business, Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, and Advanced Science Letters, and is a member of Sigma Xi. He was recently selected as one of 15 cancer researchers in the nation for a V Foundation for Cancer Research V Scholars Award, and honored by the New Faces of Engineering National Award presented by IEEE.

B.S. Physiological Science — University of California, Los Angeles
M.S. Biomedical Engineering — University of California, Los Angeles
Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering — University of California, Los Angeles
Hewlett-Packard Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering — University of California, Los Angeles
Research Associate, Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology

Assistant Professor - Northwestern University, Departments of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering
Member, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University

* higher fee applies to those who are not ALA members