Strong showing of UH researchers at international nanotech expo

NanoTech 2009 comes to Houston for first time, matches tech solutions with business challenges

HOUSTON, April 30, 2009 – For the first time since its inception more than a decade ago, the world's largest international nanotechnology conference, expo and trade show is coming to Houston May 3-7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, and University of Houston researchers will be attending in full force.

The Nano Science and Technology Institute's NanoTech 2009 has traditionally been held on the East and West coasts. This year, it not only comes to the Bayou City, but also is being held alongside two other prestigious conferences – CleanTech 2009 and the TechConnect Summit – as part of the overarching TechConnect World that combines the three in an effort to match innovative technology solutions with real-world business challenges.

NanoTech 2009 will feature more than 250 exhibitors and is expected to surpass 5,000 attendees from 67 countries. No longer exclusively focusing on scientists and researchers, this year's conference also will reach out to investors, venture capitalists and business executives interested in nanotechnology.

Among the nearly 40 University of Houston participants in NanoTech 2009, talks will address the role of nanotechnology in such areas as biosensors and diagnostics, tissue engineering, carbon nanotubes, energy storage technology, high-temperature superconductivity, prostate cancer, sickle cell anemia, safety in space, wind energy, solar cells, energy storage solutions and clean transportation. Exact times and locations for speakers can be found at http://www.nsti.org/Nanotech2009/program.html.

At the TechConnect Summit, the business exhibition offshoot of NanoTech 2009 that features intellectual property groups and early-stage companies, UH's Center for Industrial Partnerships (CIP) is sponsoring a booth to showcase UH inventions. The CIP is an industry portal to UH, offering licensing opportunities in the areas of health, biotech, nanotech, energy, cleantech, information technology and bioimaging.

A number of licensees and spin-off companies will be on hand at the CIP booth to discuss their ventures, create new opportunities and potentially find new investors and partners. Some of the invited companies include VNet Corporation, Eureka Genomics, SeprOx, Metox, OsteoSphere, Sentorix, Virtual Vision and Integrated Micro Sensors. Students also will be represented at the CIP exhibit. A team of seven UH MBA students working on a commercialization plan as part of a finance consulting class will be at the booth to promote an invention to potential executives and investors. Additional details and location can be found at http://www.techconnect.org/Summit2009/expo/exhibitors.html?id=17.