Symposium Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute to take place at NSTI’s Nanotech2008 in at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA

Northeastern University professors Vladimir Torchilin and Mansoor Amiji are co-chairing a symposium at Nanotech 2008 conference, entitled “Nanotechnology for Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment.” Presented by the Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the one-day symposium on June 4^th will feature sessions by prominent members of the nanotechnology and cancer research community representing industry, healthcare, government and academia.

This symposium will address the potential ways in which nanotechnology can address the challenges associated with timely cancer diagnosis, tumor targeting and localized delivery. Each area presents its respective obstacles that scientist are working to overcome, including accurate detection and diagnosis at the earliest stage and localized drug delivery methods, while saving the normal tissue from the excessive burden of toxicity.

During the Symposium, the co-chairs will discuss their respective research areas:

• Vladimir Torchilin, Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern’s Bouve College of Health Sciences will present “Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Cancer Therapy” on Wednesday, June 4^th.

• A paper, co-authored by Torchilin and his team, titled “Micellar Form of Novel Poorly Soluble Pro-Apoptitic Agent, N-([(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl) amino] carbonothioyl}-3, 5-dimethylbenzamide (PIT) for Effective Targeting to Solid Tumors” will be part of a session focusing on drug delivery and therapeutics, on Tuesday, June 3^rd

• Mansoor Amiji, Professor and Associate Department Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department in Northeastern’s Bouve College of Health Sciences, and Co-Director of Nanomedicine Education and Research Consortium (NERC) at Northeastern, will present a paper he co-authored with his team, titled “Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Targeted Engineered Gelatin Nanovectors for Gene Delivery in Pancreatic Cancer Cells” on Monday, June 2^nd and another titled “Gene Delivery and Transfection Studies with Lipopolyplexes in Human Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells.” The session on drug and gene delivery systems will take place on Thursday, June 5^th.

The Symposium will run parallel with the Nanotech 2008 and the BioNano 2008 conferences, providing a unique, multidisciplinary environment directed towards addressing the challenges of nanotechnology applications in biology and medicine.

For more information on the Symposium and the NSTI Nanotech 2008 conference,visit http://www.nsti.org/Nanotech2008/symposia/Cancer_Diagnostics_Imaging_Treatment.html and contact Renata Nyul at 617-373-7424 or at r.nyul@neu.edu.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.