Two champions of innovation, Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, and Rick Hamilton, will deliver keynote addresses at the upcoming Symposium, applying their unique experiences to the opportunities for focused ultrasound. The pair joins serial medical device entrepreneur, Frederic Moll, MD, to round out the Symposium’s list of headliners.
“Andy and Rick offer unparalleled knowledge and unique perspectives on the development of new technologies,” shares Foundation Chairman, Dr. Neal F. Kassell. “Employing an innovative mindset is essential to advancing focused ultrasound to a standard of care. They will foster the spirit of collaboration that is central to the Symposium and encourage leaders in the field to pioneer future projects.”
Dr. von Eschenbach is the only person to have led both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). As NCI Director, he sought to accelerate and integrate the discovery-development-delivery continuum. During his time at the FDA, von Eschenbach focused on modernizing the agency, emphasizing innovation, and promoting public health. He is now President of Samaritan Health Initiatives, Inc. and has been a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors since 2010. Throughout his career, von Eschenbach has recognized the value of emerging technologies. In his talk, titled “The Virtuous Cycle of Discovery, Development, and Delivery: The 21st Century Paradigm for Advancing Bioscience,” he will elaborate on his experience with this continuum and how it can be applied to facilitate focused ultrasound’s progress.
Rick Hamilton, IBM’s Cloud Offering Evangelist and Master Inventor, will close out keynote speeches on Wednesday. Hamilton is an innovation authority and the company’s most prolific inventor, holding more than 550 U.S. patents in services, software, and hardware. He ranks as the 37th most prolific inventor in world history, and has spoken with corporations, governmental authorities, and NGO’s about innovation and intellectual property topics in 28 countries. In October, Hamilton will discuss the rising importance of innovation in today’s economy, by examining the driving factors, how organizations are responding, and what it means to us as individuals.
“Discovery research has led to astounding breakthroughs in our understanding the mechanisms of disease and the determinants of health. That emerging knowledge is being rapidly translated into innovative technologies that can eliminate disease and restore health. Focused ultrasound exemplifies such progress as it pioneers the application of physical energy to modulate biology.”
– Andrew von Eschenbach, MD