2016MedicalDeviceandDiagnosticsSymposiumReportedbyEmileBellott,CABAPhotosbyPengyuHuang,CABAThe2016MedicalDevice&DiagnosticsSymposiumtitled“Innovation,CollaborationandCommercialization”washeldonSaturday,December10,2016,attheMITStatacenter,inCambridge.ThisconferencewasjointlyhostedbyChinese-AmericanBiomedicalAssociation(CABA)andNewEnglandChineseInformationandNetworkingAssociation(NECINA)to

enhanceinteractionsofbiomedical,medicaldevice,andinformationtechnologyprofessionalsThisannualconferenceaimstofosterinnovation,entrepreneurshipandmutualcooperationinthelifesciencessector,betweenscientistsandinvestorsinUSandChina.

OpeningRemarksJingzhongZhang,eventCo-Chairopenedthesymposiumbyreiteratingthetheme,“Innovation,Collaboration,andCommercialization”;andwelcomingover150attendeestothisevent.includingentrepreneurs,studentsandvisitingdignitariesfromChina.CABAPresident,EricShi,andNECINAPresident,TonyTian,eachprovidedanoverviewoftheirorganizations;currentmembershipinitiatives;andplannedmeetingsinthecomingyear.ThesetwogroupsprovideaprofessionalfocalpointfortheChinesecommunity,intheBostonarea,intheirrespectivefieldsofbiomedicaltechnologyandcomputerscience.Insponsoringthissymposiumjointly,theyemphasizetheconvergenceofbiology,physicalscience,andinformationtechnologyintheemergingfieldofmedicaldevicesanddiagnostics;andthepowerofinterdisciplinarycollaborations.PlenaryopeningaddresswasmadebythehonorableJijunXing,ScienceandTechnologyCounseloroftheChineseConsulate-General,inNewYork.Inhisaddress,deliveredin

Mandarin,Dr.Xingdiscussedthemanyopportunitiesthatarepresentinthemedicaldevice,lifesciencesandinformationtechnologyfieldsasChinaembarksonitsnextphaseofvigorouseconomicgrowthandinnovation.Heinvitedentrepreneurs,investors,andacademicstoconsidertheopportunitiestostartnewbusinessenterprisesinChina.Session1–InnovationandCutting-EdgeTechnologies

Sessionmoderator,ChunxiaoYu,introducedthethreespeakersinthissession.Associateprofessor,DrXuanheZhao,ofMITdeliveredthekeynoteaddress:”StretchableHydrogelElectronicsandDevices”.Histalkwasatechnicaltour-de-forceoninnovativeandrobusthydrogelmaterialswhosepropertiescanbetunedaccordingtothedesiredapplication.Hedescribedapplicationsofmaterialsandextendingthefrontieroftheirpropertiestoward“tough”and“elastic”qualities.Thesenewhydrogelmaterialshavebiocompatibleproperties,includingahighwatercontent;yetexhibitcompatibilitywithelectroniccomponentsandrigidengineeringmaterials.Oneearlysuccessisanewstart-upinChinatomakesmarthydrogel“Band-Aid”typewounddressings.Additionalopportunitiesweredescribed,wherehybridhydrogelbiomaterialstructuresarebuiltup,layer-wise,using3-Dprinting;hydrogelproductswereintegratedwithelectronicsandsensors;andhydrogelsareintegratedwithlivingcells.RuZheng,MBA,SeniorManageratThermoFisherspokeon“PrecisionMedicineSolutions”.MsZhengaddressedthefieldof“precisionmedicine”–anemergingapproachtodiseasetreatmentandpreventionthattakesintoaccounttheindividualgenetic,environmentalandlifestylevariabilityofthepatient.Whiletheidea,itselfisnotnew,recentdevelopmentsindiagnostics,medicaldevices,andlaboratoryinstrumentationhavebroughtprecisionmedicinetorealization.ShedescribedthebroadsweepofthefieldandcurrentinnovativeprogramsandcollaborationsinUS,EU,andChina,whereThermo-Fisherhasbecomethego-tocollaborator.Theirinvolvementhasacceleratedscientificdiscovery;advancedpersonalizedmedicine;andappledbiologybeyondresearch.Thenetbenefitoftheirapproachhasbeeninsolvinganalyticalchallenges;improvingpatientdiagnostics;andincreasinglabproductivity.ThelasttalkofthemorningsessionwasdeliveredbyBichengHan,CEOandFounderofBrainco,Inc.“MedicalApplicationofBrainSciences”Inthisengagingpresentation,Hedescribedwaysinwhichasimplecomputerizedapproachtobiofeedbackcantrainandconditionindividualstomitigateattentiondeficit,ADHD,inlieuofthestandardofcare,drugtherapywhichisfraughtwithsideeffects.Hepointedoutthepioneeringwaysinwhichsimplebrain-wavemonitoringequipmentcanbeusedtomeasureattentionlevelofparticipantsinanaudience;andhowsimilardevicesandsoftwarecanbeusedinaself-trainingenvironmenttocontrolsimplevideogametasks.Inconclusion,hehintedatthebroadapplicabilityofthetechnologyandunveiledaninexpensivepersonaldevicetobeusedwithasmart-phoneAPP.Theproductisscheduledforreleaseinthecomingyear.LunchBreakandNetworkingExcellentboxlunch,servedbyourablevolunteerswasprovidedbyourpartnerKamManMarket,ofQuincy.Session2–EntrepreneurshipandOpportunity

Thesessionmoderator,JianShao,introducedthethreespeakersinthissession.TheKeynoteAddress,“LessonsFromEntrepreneurialSuccess”,waspresentedbyDrShuqiChen,whospokeabouthisdecadeofexperienceasCofounder,CEO,andChairmanofIQuuminMarlborough,MA.Followingarapidrisetocorporatesuccess,IQuumWasacquiredbyRochediagnostics,whereDr,ChenisnowVPofR&DofPointofCare,atRocheMolecularSystems.ThisuniqueandversatilePoint-ofCarePCRdiagnosticsystemcanbeoperatedinadoctor’sofficeandprovidemedicaldiagnosticresultsinminutes,asopposedtotheconventionaloff-premiseCLIA–labwhichmayrequireovernightorseveraldays.Hedescribedthepatientandpainstakingentrepreneuriallong-marchthatresultedinstunningsuccessandunprecedentedshortFDAapprovaltimeofthedeviceanditsassays.Thestoryofthecompanyanditspeoplewassummarizedinthreelessons,drawnfromfirst-handexperience:1)Setuptherightgoals;2)ExecuteEffectively;and3)Usethemoneysmartly.Heconcluded:“Withtherightgoalandrightfocus–Nothingisimpossible-butNothingisSimple.”The second talk of this session “Rebuilding theHealthcare System around the needs of thepatient”waspresentedbyDr.TrishanPanch,CMO, andDr.GopalRamachandran,CTO,ofWellframe. They spoke of the need to leverage technology to improve outcomes, patientcompliance, andoverall costofoutpatient treatment inamanagedcareenvironment. TheirmobileAPPprovidesadailypatient check-in; anddelivershealthcareguidance in smallbitstheindividualcanunderstand.Thecomputerengineadjustspatientinstructionsdynamicallybasedon thedailypatient reports. Their innovation is expected to significantly impact the$10 Billion contract healthcaremanagementmarket by allowing resources to be focused .Thispromisestoimprovepatientcomplianceandoutcomesinthelow-volumehigh-costcases.PhillipeSchwartzofSquarePegcapitalspokeon“DisruptingHealthcare”.Hepointedoutthatsocietyisinaconstantstateofdisruptivechangeduetothelayeringeffectandadvancesintechnology.YetHealthcareismainlyconductedthesameasithasbeenfordecades.Hepredictsthatdisruptionwillcomesoon-focusedonpreventionofdiseasesoveralifetime;andusingdataandindividualprofiling,toreverseproblematictrendsbeforetheyimpair

individualhealth.Themagnitudeofinnovationwillbegreater.Thehealthcareconsumerwillbeatthecenterofit.Session3–OperationandCollaborationThesessionmoderator,DrLanCao,introducedthethreespeakersinthissession.ZorinaPitkin,VPofOrganogenesisDiscussed“QualitySupportforOrganogenesisCommercialProducts”.Thistalkprovidedinsightintothequalityproceduresinplaceforcell-basedregenerativemedicalproductsasaClass-IIImedicaldevice;andcollagen-basedmatrix,asa501(k)Class-IIproduct.Theysupportbestpracticesinallphasesofprocesscontrol;QCofrawmaterials;productcontrol(inprocessandfinal);andqualitysystems.Themostchallengingareaismanufacturingprocesscontroltomaintainsterilityandproductfunctionality.ThefinaltwotalksfocusedonopportunitiesforentrepreneurshipinChina:XiangChenggavean“IntroductionofNantongMedicalDeviceIndustryValley.”QiupingZhouprovideda“BriefIntroductionofJiangsuBiomedicineOverseasTalentsExchangeCenter”ClosingRemarksDrKevinFang,CABAPresident-Electdeliveredtheclosingremarks.HethankedtheR&Dprofessionals,BiotechEntrepreneursandallattendeesformakingtheeventsuccessful.Heinvitedallinterestedlifescienceprofessionalstocomebackagainforfuturesymposia.