The ?Lasers in Micro, Nano & Bio Systems? is one of the newest additions to the Gordon Research Conferences (GRC), approved by the GRC Conference Evaluation Committee and Board of Trustees. The inaugural meeting will be held June 17?22, 2018 at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. The primary goal of this conference is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for researchers to share the latest advances in ultra?small lasers at micro to nano scales, from fundamental sciences to applications. The scope of the conference is highly relevant to the mission of NIBIB. One of the main topics of this conference is the development of novel semiconductor lasers. In optical imaging, diagnosis, and therapy, as well as lab assays, semiconductor lasers have become the main workhorse, being responsible for about 40% in global medical laser market in terms of revenue (~$1B in 2016). Another exciting topic is nano laser, such as plasmonic nano?lasers and spasers, which has potential to replace fluorescent dyes and quantum dots in some imaging and therapeutic applications. Furthermore, the conference will bring together a new class of biocompatible laser sources ? termed ?bio? lasers ? that are implantable, injectable into biological systems for novel biomedical imaging, sensing, and light?based therapies. A notable example is intracellular laser. Also within the scope of this conference is laser on a chip for biomolecular sensing with greater sensitivity enhanced by optical resonance within cavities. These ?bio? lasers can make high impacts on biomedical sciences and healthcare by providing novel ways to generate and use laser light within cells and tissues. This conference will bring scientists and engineers from academia, national laboratories, and industries in lasers and information technology, as well as healthcare sectors to push forward this exciting new area of research. The background of participants will be broad, spanning from physics, optics, materials and chemistry to biomedical engineering. The traditional laser research community has been male dominant, but the convergence with biomedical applications offer an opportunity to attract more female scientists into laser research. Besides gender diversity, the conference will strive to promote diversity in race and culture by attracting researchers and students from underrepresented groups. The conference flyer will be sent to a list of over 100 departments in ethnically diverse colleges, such as University of Puerto Rico (Hispanic population) and Xavier University (historically black college), which have faculties working in the fields of lasers and bio?photonics therein. The grant from NIBIB will be used to provide financial support for under?represented minority participants, female participants, and junior researchers with priority.
This new Gordon Research Conference - Lasers in Micro, Nano & Bio Systems, offers a premiere venue by which senior, junior, and student researchers in the fields of biophotonics, biomedical optics, biomedical engineering, physics, micro/nanofabrication, and materials sciences can assemble to intellectually survey the state-of-the-art while envisioning future research directions and applications. This conference and the following conferences explore the current and future use of the advances in technologies and sciences for improving public health and healthcare.
