Introduction

BIOSURF VII is the 7th meeting in this biennial series of international conferences dedicated to the study of interactions between biological systems with materials & interfaces, and applications in the fields of biotechnology, diagnostics and medicine. Topics range from biomolecular interactions in well-defined systems of reduced complexity through complex macromolecular systems to cellular interactions and tissue engineering. Striving for quantitative rather than qualitative results and mechanistic rather than purely descriptive approaches has always been an aim of BIOSURF Conferences as has been an interactive mixed audience of chemists, physicists, biologists and engineers that discuss and promote cross-disciplinary fertilization of new ideas.

For the first time, BIOSURF VII will be held under the auspices of and supported by the Swiss Competence Center for Materials Research and Technology (CCMX), Materials for the Life Sciences Program, and the Materials Research Center of ETH Zurich.

BIOSURF VII will take place in Zurich on August 29–31, 2007 with a primary focus on Functional  Interfaces for Directing Biological Response. Twenty internationally renowned top speakers (keynote and invited), complemented by invited presentations of speakers from industry and selected short contributions of younger scientists, will cover, with talks and ample discussion time, the following session topics:

• Functional Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine
• Novel Sensing Platforms & Nanobiotechnology
• Cellular Response to Designed Surfaces
• Drug Delivery, Carriers & Drug Eluting Materials
• Anti-Microbial/Anti-Inflammatory Surfaces

A pre-conference technical workshop (afternoon of August 28th and morning of August 29th) with separate registration will be organized providing introductory tutorials by BIOSURF speakers covering a number of important fields connected to the BIOSURF Conference session topics. Attendance at the workshop is particularly recommended for students and conference participants not specialized in the respective disciplines.