The Institute for NanoBioTechnology and the Physical Sciences-Oncology Center showcased a range of rapid developments in biomanufacturing technologies at “Advanced Biomanufacturing,” the 12^th Annual Nano-Bio Symposium held on Friday, May 4. The annual symposium celebrates the Institute’s latest discoveries in nanoscience, and brings together students and top scholars and experts from Hopkins, other institutions, and industry to network, share knowledge and ideas, and foster new collaborations.

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. Sponsored Poster Award Winners

Emily Wisniewski – Best Physical Sciences-Oncology Center poster

Ananya Gupta – Best undergraduate poster

Inês Godet – Best graduate poster

The engineering innovations discussed at this year’s symposium increasingly link unmet clinical needs to new solutions that push the boundaries of regenerative engineering, stem cell technology, cancer treatment, and early disease diagnosis.

“The advanced concepts in biomanufacturing addressed provide exciting opportunities for new collaborations, combining medicine, bioinformatics and engineering, as well as collaborations with a broad range of institutions, including universities, foundations, and industry,” said Ed Schlesinger, Benjamin T. Rome Dean of the Whiting School of Engineering.

The event featured 85 posters and six speakers, including Alla Danilkovitch, Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.; John Fisher, University of Maryland; Roger Kamm, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; John Rogers, Northwestern University; Rebecca Schulman, Johns Hopkins University/INBT; and Jeff Wang, Johns Hopkins University/INBT. Nearly 200 people attended: the largest crowd in the symposium’s 12-year history.

Nikon Instruments Sponsored Award Winners

Rebecca Brody – 1^st place People’s Choice

Rami Chakroun – 2^nd place People’s Choice

Sarah Kim – 3^rd place People’s Choice

Several industry sponsors, including those from Paragon Bioservices, Thermo Fisher Scientific, WR Grace, Osiris Therapeutics, Beckman Coulter, Nikon Instruments, and Beckton Dickinson were on hand to speak with attendees. This corporate participation not only ensures that emerging technologies move from laboratory to the marketplace, but also provides a vehicle for open exchange between Hopkins researchers and students with their counterparts in industry.

“The symposium was great and allowed me to meet researchers with different focuses that I wouldn’t normally interact with to talk about our research and make possible connections and collaborations,” said Srivathsan Kaylan, doctoral student.

Story by: Gina Wadas; Video by Jon French