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USC conference brings biotech industry together to discuss the future of patient management

The University of Southern California (USC) will host its first Body Computing Conference on October 26, 2007. Influential leaders, investors and academics in healthcare will come together to discuss the role of technology in the future of medicine.

“This is the new frontier in medicine,” says Leslie Saxon, M.D., chief of cardiovascular medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the conference organizer. “There are hurdles, but body computing can change the interaction between physicians and patients.”

Body computing refers to implanted devices that can transmit up-to-the-second physiologic data to physicians, patients and patients’ loved ones, which can potentially save lives by increasing rapid information flow. Where electronic medical records have made it possible to transfer clinical data rapidly, networked devices can take this one step further, eliminating the need for separate paper charts, desktop computers, pagers and cell phones to convey crucial information.

“Body computing breaks down the information gap,” continues Saxon. “ Although this is a relatively new field, the caliber of speakers at USC’s Body Computing Conference is a testament to the interest among business leaders, entrepreneurs, the investment community, physicians and scholars.”

Presentations, keynote addresses, panel discussions and networking events will provide participants with opportunities to educate and discuss all prospects, concerns, and long-term effects that would accompany networked physiologic monitoring. This includes improved quality of life for patients and the effects on the future of medical practice.

Among those participating in this year’s conference are:

• Jim Tobin, president and CEO of Boston Scientific

• David Gollaher, Ph.D., president and CEO of California Healthcare Institute

• Neal Eigler, M.D., co-director of the cardiovascular intervention center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

• Daniel G. Schultz, M.D., director of the center for devices and radiological health at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Omar Ishrak, Ph.D., president and CEO of clinical systems at GE Healthcare

• Garry Neil, M.D., group president for Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development

• Chris O’Connell, senior vice president of Medtronic

• Michael Tchao, general manager of Nike Techlab.

• Andrew Thompson, CEO of Proteus Biomedical

• Doug Rasor, vice president of emerging medical technologies at Texas Instruments.

The conference will also feature keynote speaker Geoffrey Moore, author of Dealing with Darwin.

The Keck School of Medicine of USC is a major center for basic and clinical biomedical research, especially in the fields of cancer, gene therapy, the neurosciences and metabolic disease. The school today has more than 1,100 full-time faculty members and a voluntary faculty of more than 3,700 physicians.

The USC Body Computing Conference will be held at USC’s Davidson Conference Center. For a full list of participants and program schedule, visit http://www.usc.edu/medicine/bcc

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