the official website of Biological and Medical Art in Belgium

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Together with:

University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Antwerp, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp / School of Arts - AP University College
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Ghent / School of Arts - University College Ghent
Haute école des arts du Rhin - HEAR, Didactique visuelle (F)
University of the Arts London - UAL (UK)
Medical Artists' Education Trust - MAET (UK)
University of Dundee, Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (UK)
ART RESEARCHES SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS (ARSIC)

Contact information

ann.van.de.velde[at]hotmail.com // artem-medicalis[at]virginmedia.com



April 6, 2010

Call for Entries: GDA 2010

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16.09.10 - 18.09.10 : Geneeskundige Dagen Antwerpen (GDA)
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Al 65 edities lang vormen de Geneeskundige Dagen van Antwerpen een vruchtbare ontmoetingsplaats van meer dan duizend artsen, van talrijke paramedici en van andere personen werkzaam in de medische sector.
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Deze dagen worden georganiseerd door de Koninklijke Artsenvereniging van Antwerpen van 16 tot 18 september 2010 op de campus Drie Eiken van de Universiteit Antwerpen.
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Het thema luidt: OBESITAS : Van levensstijl tot de nieuwste therapie
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Alle kunstvormen zijn toegelaten. Tentoonstellingsruimte: Aula Maior, Campus Drie Eiken UA
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Opening van de tentoonstelling op donderdagavond 16 september 2010 na de academische zitting.
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16.09.10- 18-09-10 : Medical Days Antwerp
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For 65 editions , the Medical Days in Antwerp have been a fertile meeting ground for over 1000 doctors, many paramedics and other professionals working in the medical sector.
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These days are organized by the Royal Medical Association of Antwerp from 16 - 18/09/2010 at Campus Drie Eiken at the University of Antwerp
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The general theme is OBESITY: from lifestyle to the newest therapies
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All art forms accepted, the exhibition will be held at Aula Maior, Campus Drie Eiken UA
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The opening of the exhibition is thursday Sept 16th after the academic hearing
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DOCU: Life Extended (2009)

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UITZENDING LICHTPUNT: 4 april 2010
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Lambermontlaan 474
1030 Schaarbeek
Tel: 0032 (0)2 735 91 54
Fax: 0032 (0)2 734 62 49
lichtpunt@lichtpunt.be

DOCUMENTAIRE: Eeuwig Leven (Life Extended)
Om 09u00 op één - rond 23u00 op Canvas

Onsterfelijkheid is geen verre toekomstdroom meer volgens sommige wetenschappers.
De medische wetenschap kent een exponentiële groei, net zoals de levensverwachting van de mens.
Het Zweedse artistieke duo Bigert & Bergström vertrekt van dit gegeven in de documentaire 'Eeuwig leven' (Life Extended 2009). Ze zoeken mensen op die sterk verbonden zijn met de verlenging van het leven: wetenschappers, architecten die het verouderingsproces proberen te vertragen via hun constructies, de gerontoloog die gelooft in het eeuwige leven, de marathonmonnik die loopt om zijn geest onsterfelijk te maken, … maar ook diegenen die niet echt gebaat zijn met een langer leven zoals ze dit nu beleven, de levenslang opgesloten gevangene, straatkinderen,…
Heel wat filosofische vragen komen naar boven, want wat zijn de gevolgen van zo'n verlengd leven? Hoe zal onze maatschappij er uit zien als de gemiddelde levensverwachting 150 jaar zal zijn? Zal een langer leven ons een beter leven geven? En zal dit langer leven wel voor iedereen weggelegd zijn?

'Life Extended' geeft een creatief overzicht van het menselijk streven naar onsterfelijkheid en visualiseert deze biotechnologische vooruitgang op een treffende manier.
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Regie: Bigert & Bergström
© Eight Millimetres AB

Talk: Neural nanotube

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Dear Colleague,

I would like to extend to you and your collaborators, my invitation to attend the forthcoming informal seminar of Dr. Ke Wang, who is guest of my lab.
The seminar is going to be held at the University of Antwerp, on April 15th at 14:00, in the small library of the fifth floor, building T, Campus Drie Eiken.

Dr. Wang received her PhD by Stanford University in 2006, and she is currently with the "Minimally Invasive Healthcare" group of Philips Research Europe (The Netherlands).
Her pioneering research anticipated by ~5 years the first (European) neurobiological investigations of carbon nanotubes as a novel material for future neuroprosthetics.


Title and abstract of her talk are indicated below:

A CARBON NANOTUBE MICROELECTRODE ARRAY FOR NEURAL STIMULATION
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TSEM micrograph of a cultured rat hippocampal neuron grown on a layer of purified carbon nanotubes. (Image: Laura Ballerini, University of Trieste)
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Electrical stimulation of nerve cells is widely employed in neural prostheses (for hearing, vision, and limb movement restoration), clinical therapies (treating Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and chronic pain), as well as in basic neuroscience studies. In all these applications, an implanted microelectrode array transmits electrical signals to the neurons and modulates their behavior. These stimulating electrodes need to be biocompatible, stable, micro-scaled, and capable of delivering high current while remaining electrochemically safe.

This work presents a novel neural interface using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) as microelectrodes. We synthesized self-assembled CNTs by thermal chemical vapor deposition. The CNTs formed pillars of controllable height projecting orthogonally from the surface. Using conventional silicon-based micro-fabrication processes, these CNT ensembles were integrated onto pre-patterned microcircuitry. The geometry and location of the CNT microelectrodes could be precisely defined.
The electrochemical properties of the CNT microelectrode array were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, and potential transient measurements. Compared to platinum and iridium oxide neural electrodes, these CNT microelectrodes had a wide electrochemical operational window, competitive charge injection limit, and operated capacitively without faradic reactions. These properties have become increasingly important, as applications in the central nervous system require a significant reduction in electrode size. Different surface modification techniques, such as thermal oxidation and non-covalent binding, were investigated to functionalize the CNT electrodes and the active interfacial area was considerably increased.

The biocompatibility of CNTs was assessed by in vitro neuronal culture. Retinal ganglion cells and hippocampal neurons were cultured on CNT substrates, and showed comparable viability and neurite outgrowth to cultures on Petri dish controls. In vitro stimulation of primary neurons with the CNT microelectrode array was demonstrated for the first time. Neurons could be repeatedly stimulated, indicating good cell excitability and electrode condition.
In conclusion, a prototype CNT microelectrode array has been developed. Several critical aspects of CNTs as neural stimulating electrodes were investigated. The advantageous electrochemical, mechanical, and chemical properties of CNTs suggest that they are capable of providing a safer and more efficacious solution for neural stimulation.


Wang K, Fishman HA, Dai H, Harris JS. Nano Lett. 2006 Sep;6(9):2043-8.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl061241t

Thank you for your attention,

Michele Giugliano

P.S. Contact me for confirming your interest to attend and for (driving) directions.

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Michele Giugliano, PhD

Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
University of Antwerp
Campus Drie Eiken (CDE) - D.T.532
Universiteitsplein 1
B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium)

voice : +32 3 265 26 16
fax : +32 3 265 26 69
skype : meekeee

email: michele.giugliano@ua.ac.be
url: http://www.ua.ac.be/michele.giugliano
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More information: click here