Conference Programme

Day One
23 March 2011
09.10 - 09.20 Welcome and Introduction to Day 1Richard Moore, Institute of Nanotechnology, UK
Keynote Presentation
09.20 - 10.00 Advanced Medical Technologies for an Ageing PopulationProfessor Rutledge Ellis-Behnke, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA and the Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg
Session 1: Advanced medical technologies to diagnose and treat diseases associated with ageingChair: Richard Moore, Institute of Nanotechnology, UK
10.00 - 10.30 Title TBCProfessor Alain Franco, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, France
10.30 - 11.00 Caring for the Oldest Old: Assistive Technologies and 21st Century CareProfessor Louise Robinson, Institute for Ageing & Health, Newcastle University, UK
11.00 - 11.30 Refreshments and Networking
11.30 - 12.00 Restoring Hearing and Balance in the Elderly - A Challenge for NanotechnologyProfessor Ilmari Pyykko, Professor of the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
  • Focus first on problems
  • Look at the BDNF gene and BDNF protein delivery by nanotechnology
  • Video on balance problems
  • Cartoon video on nanodelivery
12.00 - 12.30 Decubitus Prevention and Accelerated Wound HealingDr Herman Lenting, Senior Researcher, Department of Innovative Materials, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), The Netherlands
  • contractive cuff for stimulating blood circulation and alternating pressure points
  • reduced friction textiles
  • different products for microbial control in wounds and sensitive skin areas
12.30 - 14.00 Lunch, Networking and Exhibition
14.00 - 14.30 Nanobiomimetic Surfaces for Mesenchymal Stem CellsDr Matt Dalby, Biomedical & Life Sciences Department, University of Glasgow, UK
  • mesenchymal stem cells
  • nanobioscience
  • mechanotransduction
14.30 - 15.00 Protein Aggregation and Degenerative Diseases of the ElderlyDr Cait MacPhee, Department of Physics, University of Edinburgh, UK
15.00 - 15.30 AB Oligomers - A Potential Biomarker for the Diagnosis and Progression of Alzheimer's Disease, and a Target for Therapeutic InterventionProfessor David Allsop, School of Medicine and Health, Lancaster University, UK
  • The early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) will be essential for development of an effective strategy to cope with the increasing numbers of dementia sufferers in ageing populations
  • Several lines of evidence suggest that ?-amyloid (A?) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD. Soluble A? oligomers rather than amyloid fibrils are now thought to be the major toxic species responsible for disease onset and progression
  • Measuring the levels of these oligomers in body fluids represents a possible means for early diagnosis of AD and/or for monitoring disease progression. Oligomer formation and toxicity also present an interesting target for the development of novel disease-modifying therapies. Data will be presented on A? oligomers as a potential biomarker and on the development of inhibitors of toxic oligomer formation
15.30 - 16.00 Refreshments and Networking
16.00 - 16.30 Periocular and intraocular drug delivery for opthalmic diseases of the elderlyDr Eileen McBride, Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde
16.30 - 17.00 Nanotechnologies for the Early Diagnosis of Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis Dr Margarethe Hofmann, MatSearch, Scientific Coordinator NanoDiaRA Project, Switzerland
17.00 - 17.30 Developing and protecting new innovations for use in the NHS Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL), UK
17.30 Summing up by Chair and close of Session 1
17.30 - 18.30 Poster Session
19.00 - 20.00 Civic Reception, Glasgow City Chambers
Day Two
24 March 2011
09.00 Welcome and Introduction to Day Two
Keynote Presentation
09.00 - 09.40 Why Dementia Demands Technological SolutionsProfessor June Andrews, Director, Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling, UK
  • How big the market is
  • What you can do
Session 2: Assistive Technologies for the ElderlyChair:Mr Ray Hodgkinson, Director-General BHTA and BBC Watchdog expert, UK
09.40 - 10.05 The landscape for SMEs developing assistive technologies for the elderlyJanette Hughes, Wellness and Health Innovation Scotland
10.05 - 10.30 Telehealth Service Developments in Europe: Challenges and OpportunitiesDr Malcolm Fisk, Health Design & Technology Institute, Coventry University
  • Addresses changing service paradigms and the move away from clinical agendas
  • Supports the need to frame services in ways that increasingly empower users and facilitate self-management
  • Points to the potential effects of 'disruptive' telehealth through e.g. set top boxes and mobile 'apps'
10.30 - 10.55 User-friendly Connected Healthcare Technologies for an Older Population Melanie Turieo, Cambridge Consultants Ltd, Boston, USA
10.55 - 11.20 Refreshments and Networking
11.20 - 11.50 Remote Sensing and the Aging Population - Emerging Opportunities and Associated PitfallsProfessor Dermot Diamond, Director, National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
  • Indirect: Extracting life patterns and building services from Utilities monitoring
  • Direct: Potential capabilities of Smart Fabrics/Wearable Sensors for personal health monitoring
  • Ethical issues and barriers to adoption
11.50 - 12.15 Title TBCAlasdair MacDonald, Sensorium
12.15 - 13.15 Panel discussion: How to best develop technological solutions for the elderlyPanellists TBC
13.15 - 14.15 Lunch, Networking and Exhibition
Session 3: Demographic, social, ethical and economic issuesChair: Professor Rutledge Ellis-Behnke
14.15 - 14.45 Help the Aged or a Nano-Elixir of Life? Ethical Reflections on Technologies for Ageing PopulationsDr Donald Bruce, Edinethics, UK
  • Is it good if regenerative medicine advances mean more people live into the frailty of extreme old age?
  • Should we seek to extend human lifespan if we could?
  • Are there limits to ageing research in a world where most people can't live as long as we do?
14.45 - 15.15 Technology Needs for an Ageing Population from the Patient's PerspectiveAlastair Kent, Chair of EPPOSI (European Platform for Patients' Organisations, Science and Industry), Belgium and Director, Genetic Alliance UK
  • importance of responding to identifiable clinical aspects of conditions affecting elderly people
  • importance of identifying and engaging with the aspects of their condition that they deem to be relevant
15.15 - 15.45 Designing technologies to suit the needs of individual elderly personsJackie Marshall-Cyrus, Lead Specialist, Assisted Living Platform, Technology Strategy Board
15.45 - 16.15 Demographic, Social, Ethical and Economic IssuesProfessor Pauline Banks, Professor in Older Persons' Health, University of West of Scotland
  • population projections
  • the implications for the sustainability of older persons care in this time of economic stringency
16.15 - 16.25 Summing up and Close of Conference
16.25 - 17.00 Refreshments and Networking

Confirmed Speakers:

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  • Keynote PresentationProfessor Rutledge Ellis-BehnkeMassachusetts Institute of Technology, USA and the University of Hong Kong
  • Keynote PresentationProfessor June AndrewsDirector, Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling, UK
  • Professor Ilmari PyykkoProfessor of the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
  • Dr Herman LentingSenior Researcher, Department of Innovative Materials, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), The Netherlands
  • Professor David AllsopSchool of Medicine and Health, Lancaster University, UK
  • Alastair KentChair of EPPOSI (European Platform for Patients' Organisations, Science and Industry), Belgium and Director, Genetic Alliance UK
  • Dr Donald BruceEdinethics, UK
  • Professor Dermot DiamondDirector, National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University, Ireland
  • Professor Alain FrancoCentre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, France
  • Dr Matt DalbyBiomedical and Life Sciences Department, University of Glasgow, UK
  • Dr Cait MacPheeDepartment of Physics, University of Edinburgh, UK
  • Dr Eileen McBrideInstitute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, UK
  • Janette HughesWellness and Health Innovation Scotland
  • Dr Malcolm FiskHealth Design and Technology Institute, Coventry University
  • Alasdair MacDonaldSensorium
  • Jackie Marshall-CyrusLead Specialist Assisted Living Platorm, Technology Strategy Board
  • Professor Pauline BanksProfessor in Older Person's Health, University of West of Scotland

Civic Reception

A Civic Reception will take place on Wednesday 23rd March 2011 in the City Chambers at approximately 7.00pm GMT with the provision of red and white wine and soft drinks.

Conference Flyer

The conference flyer is available to download in PDF format.

Click here to view the flyer >>