Academy of Molecular Imaging Annual Conference

[Guest guest]

2002 AMI Annual Conference, San Diego

Presenters Include Cassen Award and Kyoto Prize Winners and will Feature

Latest and Most Innovative Advances in Science, Medicine, and Technology

Los Angeles, Calif., August 14, 2002 B

Approximately 1500 healthcare professionals from around the world will

converge on San Diego during October 23-27 for the Academy of Molecular

Imaging´s 2002 Annual Conference. The conference will bring together

world-renowned, award-winning members of the scientific and medical

community, including this year´s Cassen Award and Kyoto Prize winners, to

present the latest information in cutting-edge scientific advances, clinical

practice, and technological skills in molecular imaging for medical benefit.

The Academy of Molecular Imaging (AMI) has long led the nuclear medicine and

molecular imaging industry in advocating numerous medical advancements.

Speakers will address a variety of current topics in science and medicine,

including " Optical Imaging Probes and Methods, " " Physics of Whole Body Mouse

Bio-Luminescence Imaging, " " Predicting the Potential of Tracer Permeation

Across the Blood-Brain Barrier, " and various issues regarding Positron

Emission Tomography or " PET " scanning. A variety of scientific abstracts and

exhibits will be displayed for the perusal of conference participants.

Dr. E. Phelps, Norton Simon professor and chair of the Department of

Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the Geffen School of Medicine at

UCLA and winner of the prestigious 2002 Cassen Award for his work in

developing PET technology, serves as president of the AMI. " Our organization

benefits from a wealth of experts with a common goal of fighting diseases

that affect millions of people, " said Dr. Phelps. " What we learn from each

other enables us to positively impact our individual medical communities,

and to make new advances toward better treatment. "

One such advancement came with the decision earlier this year by the Centers

for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover PET in the management of

care for patients with breast cancer. AMI fought a two-year battle for this

result, which marks a breakthrough for the future of diagnosing and

detecting the disease. The impact of this decision for breast cancer

patients, which becomes effective October 1, 2002, will contribute to the

atmosphere of awareness at the 2002 AMI Annual Conference, which falls

during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

AMIBs mission of progress will be underscored by the reputations and

achievements of its award-winning lineup of conference speakers. Dr. Leroy

Hood, who will serve as a keynote speaker and address the audience

with " A Systems Approach to Biology and Medicine, " will be honored in

November by the Inamori Foundation with the 2002 Kyoto Prize in " Advanced

Technology. " Dr. Hood, who is the president and director of the Institute

for Systems Biology, will receive the award for outstanding contributions to

biotechnology and medical technologies, particularly in the successful

mapping of the human genome during the 1990s.

Other featured speakers include Dr. Klausner, a renowned molecular

biologist and the executive director of the Global Health Program of the

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously serving as director of the

National Cancer Institute, Dr. Klausner has received numerous honors and has

authored several books and more than 280 scientific articles. Dr. Klausner

will address the audience on the subject of " The New World of Molecular

Imaging. "

The " Distinguished Scientist Lectureship " will be delivered by Dr. Markus

Schwaiger, director of research of the Institute for Radiology, German Hart

Center in Munich, Germany. Dr. Schwaiger earned the 2002 AMI " Distinguished

Scientist Award " for pioneering work in developing the field and school of

thought of molecular imaging. Dr. R. Heath, professor of chemistry and

biochemistry at UCLA and winner of numerous honors and awards including the

Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology and a place in Vanity Fair Magazine´s 2000

Hall of Fame, will lead a much-anticipated session on " Nanotechnology &

Immunology For Real Time Target Identification & Real Time Feedback. " The

session will make up part of a special " Drugs and Imaging " workshop jointly

sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE).

Conference speakers will address a multifarious audience composed of basic

scientists, physicians, technologists, administrators, industry

representatives, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, residents, and

other healthcare professionals on topics of general interest. Sessions for

basic sciences, clinical practice, industry, and drug development will

feature topics ranging from new drugs and tracers to imaging of cellular

events. The variety of subject matter reflects the diverse interests of the

AMI, which is made up of four self-governed components: the Institute for

Molecular Imaging/HiRes (IMI/HiRes), the Institute for Clinical PET (ICP),

the Society of Non-Invasive Imaging in Drug Development (SNIDD) and the

Institute for Molecular Technologies (IMT).

Another much anticipated highlight of the 2002 AMI Annual Conference will be

the Industry Forum Program, sponsored by the IMT. During the forum,

scientists will showcase research findings and emerging technology, thereby

enabling healthcare professionals from a variety of fields and locations to

share information that may prove vital for advances against diseases such as

cancer and Alzheimer´s disease.

About AMI The Academy of Molecular Imaging (www.ami-imaging.org) is an

international organization founded in 1989 to promote the science, basic

application and clinical practice of the multi-modality world of molecular

imaging, from PET imaging to CT, MR, X-Ray and optical imaging technologies.

One of the fastest growing societies in the field, AMI has 1,800 members

representing clinicians, scientists, technologists, administrators,

universities, hospitals, free-standing clinics, radiopharmacy and

pharmaceutical companies, and manufacturers of equipment.