MINNEAPOLIS, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Peter Agre, a recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and a professor of biological chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Dr. Bill Thomlinson, the Executive Director of the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron facility in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, will deliver two of the four keynote speeches at the Medical Alley MedEdge(TM) International Conference to be held June 23-25 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
"Securing Dr. Agre and Dr. Thomlinson as keynote speakers underscores the importance and interest MedEdge is receiving for this first-ever international conference," said Don Gerhardt, Medical Alley's president and CEO. "MedEdge is a unique format for an educational conference that is designed to promote collaboration and innovation on a world-class scale, and the Minnesota/Medical Alley region as a world-renowned leader for health care and medical technologies."
About Dr. Peter Agre
A member of Hopkins' Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, Dr. Agre was recognized for his laboratory's 1991 discovery of the long-sought channels -- aquaporins -- that regulate and facilitate water molecule transport through cell membranes, a process essential to all living organisms. Due to Dr. Agre's work, researchers around the world now study aquaporins in many species of plants, bacteria and animals, and have linked aberrant water transport to a multitude of human diseases and conditions.
Dr. Agre will speak at the conference's opening luncheon on June 23 at the request of the Norwegian Embassy to the United States. The Norwegian Embassy launched its "Research and Technology Forum for the United States and Canada" in 2001. Dr. Agre has been actively engaged in the project which is directed at enhancing international research collaborations at the frontiers of today's science and technology. In collaboration with the Academic Health Center and the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota, a separate panel discussion with Dr. Agre is being planned to further explore practical implications of his findings for ongoing medical research driven by the need for improved therapies in a wide range of fields.
About Dr. Bill Thomlinson
Prior to becoming the Executive Director of the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron facility, Dr. Thomlinson was the Head of the Medical Research Group at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. Among his many accomplishments there, Dr. Thomlinson helped start lung and mammography imaging and lead the first human angiography studies at the ESRF. He has published more than 130 papers and has made many contributions to the worldwide synchrotron community. At the ESRF he led a highly successful medical beamline group, helped start lung and mammography imaging, and in 2000, led the first human angiography (blood vessel imaging) studies at the facility. Dr. Thomlinson will present a keynote address at the general session on June 23 that will focus on the use of light-acceleration in human health diagnostics.
About MedEdge
Medical Alley MedEdge(TM) International Conference is a three-day educational conference and two-day trade show that has been developed for professionals in health care, medical technology and bioscience industries to showcase leading-edge technology and promote collaboration and innovation in health care and medical technology.
MedEdge International will unite a diverse range of top education, research, and corporate professionals working in the medical technology, life sciences, and biosciences industries. International participation includes speakers, attendees and sponsors from Canada, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Wales.
Seven different conference tracks will present advancements in medical technology, health care and business development. The tracks have more than 50 different educational sessions covering trends and emerging technologies, academic research, bioscience, biomedical engineering, management issues, quality assurance, regulatory affairs and clinical research.
Industry-leading organizations, including Medtronic, Inc., Boston Scientific, St. Jude Medical, Guidant, and the Mayo Clinic, will participate in the conference, delivering presentations on new developments in medical treatments and technologies. In addition, top research institutions including the University of Minnesota will present academic research.
The conference content is enhanced through its partnerships with associations including the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and MNBIO. In addition, ASQ will chair different tracks on quality and technology.
About Medical Alley
Medical Alley(R) is a non-profit trade association that supports the healthcare industry in Minnesota and beyond. The goals of the association are to promote the interest and investment in Minnesota as a major center of health care achievement, research and innovation, focus on legislative issues, and provide members with educational opportunities. Member organizations are world leaders in medical devices, medical technology, life sciences, biosciences, education, research, and health care delivery.
Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available. On the net: http://www.mededgeinternational.com/ and http://www.medicalalley.org/ .
Medical AlleyCONTACT: Liz Rammer of Medical Alley, +1-952-542-3077,lrammer@medicalalley.org , or Glenn Smith of MedEx Partners, LLC,+1-763-475-1116, info@mededgeinternational.com
