BSEC 2013: A note from the Conference Chairs

The Biomedical Science and Engineering Center (BSEC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) held its Fourth annual conference in Oak Ridge May 21–23, 2013. BSEC was established in 2003 as an umbrella organization to provide a platform for biomedical translation of ORNL scientific and technical innovations. The strategic mission of the Biomedical Science and Engineering Center (BSEC) is to catalyze interdisciplinary biomedical research on national medical challenges that is synergistic with the DOE mission and ORNL capabilities. Supporting DOE´s strategic goal for improved US economic competitiveness and quality of life through innovations in science and technology, the center brings together scientists to solve challenging biomedical problems that can benefit from the unique ORNL resources: (i) broad spectrum of core expertise in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, engineering, and computer science; (ii) leading high performance computing infrastructure, specialized equipment, and sophisticated instrumentation; (iii) proven platform for productive multidisciplinary collaborations with academia, industry, medical centers, and federal agencies; and (iv) experienced technology transfer for commercialization and licensing. The center pursues a broad biomedical research agenda in: ▪ knowledge discovery technologies for transforming the fields of biology and medicine; ▪ advances in materials, devices, and technologies to reduce the burdens of disease and disability and improve health care quality; ▪ customized solutions for health problems impacting civilian, military, and veteran populations; and ▪ Infrastructure development and support tools for large scale biomedical research and health care delivery initiatives.