The Lilliput laboratory: chemistry & biology on the small scale October 29, 2009

Clifford Paterson Prize Lecture 2009

Speaker: Professor Andrew de Mello (Professor of Chemical Nanosciences, Imperial College London)
Chair: Sir Martin Taylor FRS

In 1959, Richard Feynman proposed a variety of new nano-tools including the concept of atom by atom' fabrication. In the intervening decades, many of these predictions have become reality; electronic systems have contracted to sizes close to the molecular level, scanning probe microscopes allow us to image and manipulate individual atoms, and the molecular machinery of living systems is now being more fully understood and harnessed.

However, surprisingly, it is only within the last two decades that the concepts of miniaturization have been seriously applied to chemical and biological problems through the creation of lab-on-a-chip technologies.

Professor de Mello's lecture will assess the current impact of lab-on-a-chip technology in chemistry and biology and ponder future applications in molecular diagnostics, early stage disease discovery and intelligent molecular synthesis.

About the Clifford Paterson Prize lecture:

The General Electric Company Limited covenanted in 1975 to provide £2500 a year over seven years (subsequently renewed) to endow the Clifford Paterson Lecture on electrical science and technology, inclusive of the science and technology of electronic materials, components and systems. The lecture is given annually. Importantly, the lectureship is now open to all of the engineering sciences and is aimed at younger scientists ideally, someone whose career stage corresponds to under 40', and particularly those working in modern and popular fields such as new media technologies and consumer electronics. A gift of £500 is associated with the lecture.

This lecture is free - no ticket or advanced booking required. Doors open at 5.45pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

This lecture will be webcast LIVE at royalsociety.org/live and available to view on demand within 48 hours of delivery.

Official Website: http://royalsociety.org/event.asp?id=8639