Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Delivering Therapeutics Across Biological Barriers, organized by Drs. David Brayden, Claus-Michael Lehr and Kathryn Whitehead. The conference will be held in Dublin, Ireland from May 6-9, 2019. The multi-disciplinary theme of crossing of biological barriers encompasses biology, chemistry, pharmaceutical formulation, polymeric and materials science, advanced cell biology, imaging, microfluidics, and drug-device combination research. This conference occurs at the interface between cell biology and the use of technologies to exploit such understanding in order to translate therapies to patients. The program comprises leading researchers from academia, institutes, as well as from the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. The goal of the conference is to profile cutting edge research in specific areas of achieving drug delivery across biological barriers where a large translational impact would result for both industry and patients. By inviting cell biologists, technology developers, and formulators to the same conference, this will provide in depth discussions and offer a thorough perspective on the tissue and cell barriers that must be crossed in order to help guide technology approaches to achieve these breakthrough treatments.
This conference highlights the interface between cell biology and rapidly advancing technologies such as polymeric and materials science, microfluidics, and drug-device combination research with a goal of improving drug delivery in order to translate therapies to patients. Drug delivery is now regarded as an important partner to drug discovery, as it is recognized that new drugs, devices and diagnostics can only impact patients if they can reach the affected tissue, often requiring the drug to cross biological barriers such as skin, tumors or blood brain barrier. This conference will discuss cutting edge research in drug delivery across biological barriers where new technologies offer the potential for significant advances in patient care.
