New Keynote Speakers for ASBTE Conference

With only one week to go before abstract submissions close, we're delighted to announce three new keynote speakers who'll be presenting their work at the ASBTE Conference. Professor Mibel Aguilar is a Bioanalytical and Biophysical Chemist at Monash University working across many disciplines and now specialising in research focuses on biomembrane nanotechnology and peptidomimetic drug design. Her group focuses on peptide-based drug design and biomembrane nanotechnology and are developing novel compounds that allow us to exploit the potential of peptides as drugs. She has published 164 papers and 24 book chapters, and edited a volume of Methods in Molecular Biology on HPLC publications. Professor Swaminatha Iyer is an ARC Research Fellow who uses fundamental concepts in chemistry to engineer innovative polymer nanoformulations which are designed for the treatment of untreatable medical emergencies like traumatic brain injuries, cardiovascular diseases, placental related disorders in pregnancy and cancers (breast, cervical, colorectal). His research focuses on developing polymer based approaches to alter the pharmacokinetic profile of drugs, reduce off-target toxicity, and improve the therapeutic index. The nanoformulations developed by his research group have enabled simultaneously imaging and therapy to specific sites or organs, facilitating detection and treatment of disease in a single procedure. Dr Angus Johnston is an ARC Future Fellow whose work focuses on developing better ways to deliver drugs, making them more therapeutically active and limiting side effects. He has extensive knowledge and expertise in nanomaterials assembly, material characterisation, cellular interactions and advanced imaging techniques. His group is interested in understanding how nanoengineered materials interact with biological systems. This work involves developing molecular sensors to determine the internalisation, trafficking and local environment that nanoparticles are exposed to in living cells. With a better understanding of how these materials interact with cells, we can engineer smarter materials for improved drug and vaccine delivery. And a final reminder that abstract submissions will close on Friday 2 December. For guidance on how to submit your abstract, please follow the instructions on the conference website.