Nova Scotia will host over 500 experts in biomedical imaging research for the 19th International Conference on Biomagnetism, BioMag 2014, Aug. 24-28.
The IWK Health Centre, through the Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre, the Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, and industry representatives, bid in 2010 to hold the event.
Local expertise, considerable imaging assets in the province and work to commercialize them was a huge draw for the International Advisory Board when deciding on a host.
“Hosting an international conference of this calibre provides a number of community and economic benefits for Nova Scotia,” said Michel Samson, Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. “Not only will it highlight our thriving life sciences sector and local expertise, it will help to grow our economy by attracting new visitors and supporting international business development opportunities.”
BioMag 2014 is the world’s premier conference on biomagnetism, a process of using the body’s natural magnetic signals to create dynamic maps of how organs such as the brain and heart are functioning, which can provide more accurate diagnosis and help improve patient care.
The biennial event attracts delegates from over 30 countries, and is essential to connecting local researchers, academics, practitioners and industry personnel with their global counterparts to share the latest innovations and foster collaboration. This is the first time the conference will be hosted in Atlantic Canada.
“Nova Scotia is contributing to health-care advancements through our groundbreaking research and development with diagnostic imaging technologies,” said Dr. Steven Beyea, scientific lead at the Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre and BioMag 2014 co-chair. “Our experts are thrilled to showcase their talent to the world and join efforts to continue enhancing patient care.”
“We’re proud to host the world’s leading experts in biomagnetism and connect them with our local researchers to exchange ideas,” said Scott Ferguson, president and CEO of Trade Centre Ltd. “By successfully attracting and hosting this conference, we’re showcasing our growing life sciences community and local talent to the world.”
The five-day conference will focus on reporting the newest technical advancements, the latest results and clinical applications in medical environments.
BioMag 2014 is organized by the Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre, a multi-site imaging centre of the IWK Health Centre and the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax. The centre’s team co-develops medical technologies as well as creates new imaging techniques and methods for diagnosing and monitoring treatment. It is the only group in Atlantic Canada with a collection of research-dedicated imaging technologies of this magnitude.
For more information, visit http://www.biomag2014.org .
Source: Release
