The 22^nd Annual Houston Conference on Biomedical Engineering Research
Thursday and Friday, 10-11 February 2005
The Hilton Hotel and Convention Center
on the campus of the University of Houston

The Houston Society for Engineering in Medicine and Biology (HSEMB) announces its 22nd Annual Houston Conference on Biomedical Engineering Research. It will be held on 10-11 February, 2005 at the University Hilton Hotel and Conference Center, on the campus of the University of Houston. This city-based conference is unique in North America. It brings together engineers, physicians, medical researchers, practitioners, educators, and students from the many institutions and companies located in Texas and Louisiana interested in discussing research and engineering topics associated with the application of science and technology to biology and medicine. The scope of the Conference Technical Program ranges from nanotechnology to space medicine, and from molecular and cellular engineering to robotics, and mechanical hearts and lungs. Many of oral platform sessions include presentations by physicians, medical researchers and engineers working in medical centers and biomedical companies. The Conference features a seated luncheon each day, a talk of general interest by a well-recognized luncheon speaker, and Professional Awards presentations by HSEMB. A Young Investigator Award of $1000 is sponsored by Millar Instruments, Inc. of Houston, and an Annual Student Poster Paper Competition is held with a $200 prize awarded by HSEMB for the Best Poster. There are also evening receptions and social activities for registrants and their guests.

General Conference Chair: John W. Clark Jr. – Rice University
Poster Chair: Catherine Ambrose – UT Houston Health Science Center
Communications/Website: Richard E. Wendt III – UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Publications: Chuan Luo – Rice University

Call for Papers

The Technical Program Committee (TPC) for the Conference invites oral platform and poster papers in the areas listed in the table below and on the website. Special Symposia are also being organized on topics of special interest under the direction of the TPC Co-Chairs. We also encourage the submission of papers in new and developing areas not mentioned explicitly in the list of thematic tracks below.

Important Dates

Paper Submission Deadline	19 November, 2004
Notification of Acceptance	10 January, 2005 (posted on website)
Notification of Rejection	Prior to17 December, 2004 (e-mail)
Early Registration Deadline	17 December, 2004 (see website)

Conference Tracks

Thematic Track	Chaired by
Biological Signal Processing and Systems Analysis	B. Jansen, University of Houston
Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Engineering	C. Patrick M.D. Anderson Cancer Center A. Mikos, Rice University
Molecular and Medical Imaging, Image Processing and Medical Visualization	G. Zouridakis, University of Houston W. Chiu, Baylor College of Medicine
Cardiovascular Systems	C.J. Hartley, Baylor College of Medicine C. Quick, Texas A&M Univ., College Station M.G. McGee, Texas Heart Institute
Pulmonary Systems	A. Boriek, Baylor College of Medicine A. Duarte, UTMB Galveston A. Bidani, UT-Houston Medical School
Nano/Microtechnologies	R. Drezek, Rice University M. McShane, Louisiana Tech.
Clinical Engineering and Health Care Systems	J. Almaguer, ES Corp, Houston Y. David, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston
Neural Systems and Engineering	Doug Baxter, UT-Houston Medical School H. Ogmen, University of Houston R. Raphael, Rice University
Space Medicine	Sam Pool, NASA
Bioinformatics	Y. Fofanov, University of Houston
Photonics, Lasers and Optics in Medicine	T. Milner, UT Austin
Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation and Robotics	R. Patterson, UTMB Galveston C. Ambrose, UT-Houston Medical School M. Liebschner, Rice University M. O’Malley, Rice University

Houston – An International City

There is a distinct blend of Southwestern and international flavor in Houston. It’s a city that thrives on diversity, from food and entertainment to culture and architecture. The city’s natural beauty, public art and fountains, greenery and brilliant flowers are most impressive. It is one of four cities in the United States that has all of the performing arts: The Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet and the Alley Theatre. Houston has a superb seaport, which is the backbone of its industrial trade and accounts for a third of its economy. It has dozens of international banks, and with a current population of over 4.1 million, it is the largest metropolitan area in Texas and the fourth largest city in the United States. It is equidistant and easily accessible from the east and west coasts of the United States, and is serviced by the world’s major airlines. Continental Airlines utilizes Houston as its major hub. It is home to the largest energy companies in the world, as well as the Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical research and healthcare complex in the world serving 4.2 million patients annually. Six hundred foreign firms and over five hundred Houston-based companies are operated internationally from here, and Houston has sixty five foreign consulates, the largest number in the Sunbelt of the United States. It is home to the Johnson Space Center (NASA). Houston has more than 6000 restaurants and outpaces any city in the nation with its list of culinary awards. Bon appetit! Best of all, it has its own Annual Conference on Biomedical Engineering Research.

Contact Information

John W. Clark Jr.
HSEMB
Telephone: 713-348-3597
jwc@rice.edu