Monday, February 6, 2012
A Chemist's Foray into Translational Medicine
Dr. Schultz and his team are using a variety of cell based screens to identify and characterize the mechanisms of small molecules that affect stem cell self renewal and differentiation, and the reprogramming of somatic cells. During his presentation, examples of this will be discussed including the expansion of cord blood derived HSCs, in vivo neurogenesis, the selective differentiation of MSCs to chondrocytes and osteoblasts, reversible beta cell proliferation, MEF reprogramming, human ESC self renewal and differentiation, and the selective killing of cancer stem cells.

About Peter G. Schultz
Peter G. Schultz did his undergraduate and graduate work at the California Institute of Technology. His thesis work with Peter Dervan resulted in the first synthetic molecules (polypyrroleamides) that sequence-selectively cleave DNA. In 1985, after postdoctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Chris Walsh, he joined the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley where he was Professor of Chemistry, Principal Investigator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Dr. Schultz joined the faculty of Scripps in 1999 where he is currently the Scripps Professor of Chemistry. He founded and was the Institute Director of the Genomics Institute of Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) from 1999 to 2010. In addition, Dr. Schultz is a founder of Affymax Research Institute, Syrrx, Kalpsys, Phenomix, Symyx Therapeutics, Ilypsa, Ambrx and Wildcat Technologies.

Awards include the Waterman Award of the National Science Foundation, membership in the National Academy of Sciences and National Institute of Medicine, the 1994 Wolf Prize in Chemistry, the 2003 Paul Ehrlich Prize, and the 2005 Arthur C. Cope Award of the American Chemical Society.

Jing Cheng, Ph.D.
Member, Chinese Academy of Engineering
Director, National Engineering Research Center for Beijing Biochip Technologies
CEO, CapitalBio Corporation
Cheung Kong Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Biochips for Translational Medicine
CapitalBio, China's advanced diagnostics powerhouse, has been developing biochip technologies and products for 10 years in collaboration with leading research hospitals in China to satisfy unmet demands from hospital bedsides. The products that have been certified by China SFDA including a DNA microarray analyzing nine mutations in four human genomic and mitochondrial genes account for approximately 80 percent of the causes of inherited deafness, including susceptibility to deafness induced by exposure to aminoglycoside antibiotics, and a protein array for autoimmune disease diagnosis. In addition, two chips that can provide rapid sample-to-answer results in only 6 hours have also been developed, one chip identifies 17 different mycobacteria and the second chip detects the resistance to two first line drugs, Rifampicin and Isoniazid. These two multi-facet TB tests are certified by both the China SFDA and the European Community (CE mark). A number of other close to market products include a HBV drug resistance detection array for Lamivudine and Adefovir, a microfluidic chip for the identification of 12 major bacterial-associated respiratory infections in two hours. Active biochip technologies for fertility and reproductive health will be discussed. A full line of instruments from sample processing to detection of results will also be presented.

Robert Ballard, Ph.D.
Professor, University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography
Founder and President, Institute for Exploration (IFE) at Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut

Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Deep Sea Science and Exploration
Robert Ballard, President of the Institute for Exploration at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut and Director of the Institute for Archaeological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography, is best known for his 1985 discovery of the Titanic. Ballard is now using advanced technology to create a new field of research in deep water archaeology. At the Institute for Exploration's Challenge of the Deep exhibit hall, as well as with his Jason Foundation for Education, Ballard hopes to inspire young people to pursue learning in science, math, and technology through exploration and discovery. This past summer he used satellite and internet technologies to bring thousands of students around the world into direct contact with his team while on location in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

In his talk, through the use of stunning high quality images and personal accounts, Ballard will present his most recent work in deep water archaeology and the technology of tele-presence. He discusses motivating people to think outside the box, learning how to deal with failure-that failure is just a step along the way to success, motivating children to choose careers in math, science and engineering; and how to live your dream.

About Robert Ballard
Robert Ballard is the most-renowned underwater explorer of our time. He found the fabled Titanic, the Bismarck, historic sunken galleons and treasured warships. His explorations are literally a search for a needle in a haystack, covering hundreds of miles of murky ocean floor in rough seas and inhospitable conditions. Under these conditions, Dr. Ballard's accomplishments seem all the more remarkable. He is a spellbinding storyteller who uses breathtaking slides and videos of his adventures to draw parallels between his explorations and the challenges we all face in everyday life. He reflects on how he turned his dreams into reality by taking risks and turning apparent failure into success. Robert Ballard is author of several books including: Graveyards of the Pacific; The Eternal Darkness; Explorations — A Life of Underwater Adventure; The Discovery of the Titanic; and Lost Liners.

Dr. Robert Ballard is founder and president of the Institute for Exploration (IFE) at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. Specializing in deep-sea archaeology, IFE's goal is to establish this new field of research utilizing evolving technology, such as advanced mapping and imaging systems, underwater robotics and remotely operated vehicles. Another Institute for Exploration objective is to share Ballard's most recent discoveries with millions of visitors at the new "Challenge of the Deep" exhibit, completed as part of a $52 million expansion at Mystic Aquarium.

Dr. Ballard is recognized as one of the premier spokesmen for marine research. For the past twenty years he has participated in numerous educational programs with PBS Television, National Geographic Society, NOVA, the BBC in Great Britain, Nippon Television in Japan, ZRF Television in Germany, and the major television networks in the United States. From 1989 to 1991, he hosted National Geographic's EXPLORER, shown on Turner Broadcasting Station.

After 30 years, Dr. Ballard retired from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution where he was a senior scientist and director of the Center for Marine Exploration. Dr. Ballard is presently an Explorer-in-Residence for the National Geographic Society and a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Ballard is also the founder of the JASON Project. JASON was established in 1989 after Ballard received thousands of letters from school children wanting to know how he discovered the RMS Titanic.