Where Life Meets Science - January 5, 2010

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FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BONNIE GRANT:   Happy New Year!  We look forward to a productive one as Greater Philadelphia continues to shine as a premier life sciences meetings destination.  Save the date on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 as GPLSC will host another “Where Art Meets Science” networking event at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in conjunction with “Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris,” an exhibition that surveys the work of one of the most innovative and influential artists of the 20th century during his most inventive decades, 1905-1945.  Look for your invitation in coming weeks.

THE GIFT OF LIFE: On December 22, PCVB President Tom Muldoon and I toured The Gift of Life in Old City. The Gift of Life Donor Program is part of the fabric of life science related assets in our region and strives to improve the quality of life of patients awaiting transplant by maximizing the availability of donor organs and tissues.  The program works in partnership with the region's hospitals and health care professionals; provides educational programs and materials; and serves as a community resource and leader in the advancement of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. We were introduced to the Gift of Life Family House, an affiliated program of Gift of Life Donor Program and Transplant Foundation. The Gift of Life Family House is a facility currently under construction, and will provide a comfortable and affordable place to stay for families of patients undergoing transplant evaluations and related procedures. To help build the Gift of Life Family House, visit Gift of Life Family House in Philadelphia

AANS GOES PAPERLESS IN PHILLY: The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) will utilize the iPod to eliminate paper at its 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting, to be held in Philadelphia May 1-5. Paper and printed materials will be replaced with an iPod touch, making it the first completely paperless meeting conducted by AANS in its history.  The iPod touch will allow attendees to access the program guide, calendar of events, speaker information, and other various documents at the touch of their fingertips. As an added bonus, attendees will be allowed to keep the iPod touch.  Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, AANS is a scientific and educational association with more than 7,600 members worldwide. For more information on the 78th AANS Annual Meeting, visit www.AANS.org.

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF PCC EXPANSION:  The virtual tour of the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center is now available on our Web site.  You can view it at Pennsylvania Convention Center Expansion Virtual Tour

ANOTHER NEW APP FOR iPHONE: A new application for iPhone and iPod touch came on the market in December called "BirdsEye" and it guides users to finding birds. The bird images were supplied by The Academy of Natural Sciences' VIREO bird image collection. Read more at Birds on iPhone

ON TRAVEL: The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $770 billion travel industry whose mission is to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, issued a statement on the Obama Administration's announcement of significant new air security measures for international travelers to the United States.  To read full statement, visit www.ustravel.org.

"Anything less than the world's most secure and efficient travel process is unacceptable for our country and our nearly 60 million annual international visitors, more than 30 million of whom travel by air. International travelers spent more than $110 billion in 2008 and were responsible for nearly one million American jobs….The Travel Promotion Act, which passed both the House and Senate in 2009 but requires final passage, would enable our country to better communicate with travelers about security changes and ensure that this critical aspect of our economy thrives….We call on Congress to immediately send the Travel Promotion Act to President Obama's desk and ensure that our increase in security is matched with an increase in our welcome. Unintentionally making the United States a less desirable place to visit for business, study or leisure will hinder our economic recovery and our public diplomacy efforts around the world."

UPCOMING TRI-STATE BIO EVENTS:
•    Ninth Annual Delaware BioScience Association’s 50th BioBreakfast, Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:30 a.m., Agilent Technologies, 2850 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE Delaware BioScience Association annual breakfast
•    Sixteenth Annual BioNJ Dinner Meeting, Awards Program/Networking Event, Thursday, January 28, 2010, 5 p.m., Hilton East Brunswick, 3 Tower Center Boulevard, East Brunswick, NJ BioNJ annual awards dinner
•    2010 Pennsylvania Bio Annual Dinner and Awards Celebration, Thursday, March 11, 2010, 6 p.m. Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA Pennsylvania Bio Annual Dinner

WHERE LIFE MEETS SCIENCE IS A BI-WEEKLY EMAIL COMMUNICATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE GPLSC
CONTACT: Bonnie Grant, Executive Director, 215-636-4410
GPLSC is a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, 215-636-3300
 philadelphiausa.travel/life-sciences