On November 15 and 16, JSPS and UCLA cosponsored the symposium, “Harnessing Physical Forces for Medical Applications” in cooperation with Kyoto University, the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI), the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Office of Interdisciplinary & Cross Campus Affairs (ICCA).
The symposium brought researchers from both Japan and the U.S. to present their research and promote academic exchanges between the two countries. During the two day symposium participants discussed the convergence of physical sciences, nanomaterials, the nanobio interface and biomedical sciences. Dr. Fuyuhiko Tamanoi (UCLA/Kyoto University), the organizing chair, said the purpose of this symposium was to bring together scientists from diverse fields to discuss critical issues and translational potential while furthering cross pollination between disciplines.
The symposium covered some of the following topics:
- Physical forces: beams, particles, light, magnetic field, and sound.
- Physical forces and cancer therapy: boron neutron capture therapy, and monochromatic X-ray radiation.
- Imaging: MRI, PET, single molecule imaging, and cryoEM.
- Nanomaterials: Stimuli-responsive nanomaterials.
- How Physical force is used in biology: contractile nanotube system, and cell surface and membrane.
- How cells and organs interface with nanomaterials.
- New industry and commercial development: innovation, and medical instrumentation.
Throughout the two day event presenters took a variety of comments and questions. Hopefully the experience will provide researchers with food for thought and help inspire the future development of their research field going forward. JSPS will continue to support such academic symposia that helps strengthen international cooperative networks.
