According to the organizers of the Drug Delivery to the Lungs meeting, DDL 21 will include several new features designed to provide additional opportunities for networking and for the exchange of information. The meeting, which typically draws approximately 400 attendees, will take place December 8-10 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre
DDL 21 conference chair Georgina Fradley of 3M Drug Delivery Systems points out that the meeting “is one of the events of the calendar year where everyone in the industry gets together.” From her perspective working for one of the bigger drug delivery companies, she says, “One of the benefits of DDL is that it is the event where everyone meets up and networks; so that has a benefit for pharmaceutical companies, drug delivery companies, and suppliers.”The meeting, of course, also presents opportunities for scientists to present their research on topics related to inhaled and intranasal drug delivery. This year’s podium sessions include:
- Methods of investigating in vivo pulmonary drug deposition and their application to assessing bioequivalence
- Increasing chances of success in early inhaled product development
- Advances in formulation and analytical science
The latter topic will serve as the main focus for the entire second day of the conference, according to, Fradley who expects that the section will feature a large number of submitted talks. “This is where the industry gets its chance to tell us what it’s doing,” she says.
Fradley also promises interesting talks interspersed between the regular sessions based on the topic, “What on earth? Bizarre and quirky science relevant to inhalation therapy.” The topic provides an opportunity for some talks that might not fit into the main sessions but which people will find interesting and entertaining; these “quirky” subjects, she suggests, will also serve “to lighten things up” in between data-heavy presentations.
The meeting, Fradley notes, is of course also a chance “for young scientists and people recently moving into industry to get an opportunity to make a contribution and take part, to get involved.”
To honor the memory of Pat Burnell, who passed away in 2009, the organizers this year will present the first annual Pat Burnell New Investigator Award.
Pat Burnell
According to Fradley, Burnell was “one of the energies, one of the founding spirits behind DDL and was really keen on giving people opportunities.” Burnell often expressed her desire to make the meeting accessible to everyone working in the field of aerosol medicine, once saying, “those who do the research should present their work, not their stuffy old boss or academic supervisor.”
Anyone doing relevant research while studying for a degree or having completed a degree within the past 3 years is eligible. The organizing committee will select 5 poster abstracts from among those submitted by eligible researchers for a “Posters on the Podium” session. The young researcher who makes the best presentation, judged both on the science and the delivery of the material, will receive a certificate and £500.
According to Fradley, the organizers are continuing the meeting’s tradition of reserving a significant percentage of the podium presentation opportunities for talks submitted for consideration by both experienced and junior researchers. Typically, one third to one half of all of the presentations at a DDL meeting derive from submitted abstracts. The committee has also invited a number of well-respected scientists to present their research, with an eye on giving the meeting “a more global feel” than in the past. While the majority of speakers at past meetings have been from the UK, Fradley says that a number of US, European, and Australian researchers have accepted invitations to talk at DDL 21.
As in the past, a drinks reception will take place on Wednesday to give attendees a chance to gather in the technology exhibition, which has already attracted nearly 60 exhibitors. This year, the organizers have also added Thursday evening drinks reception in the poster exhibition area designed to focus attention on the more than 60 posters.
Reception at DDL 20
For the first time this year, attendees may register for an optional workshop organized by the European Pharmaceutical Aerosol Group (EPAG) on the abbreviated impactor measurement (AIM) technique and efficient data analysis (EDA) to be held the morning of December 8 prior to the start of DDL 21. “While we’ve got the community together,” points out Fradley, “it’s an ideal opportunity for EPAG to present a workshop; really it’s about working together with different parts of the industry.” The EPAG workshop, open only to DDL registrants, costs an additional £25.
According to Fradley, DDL organizers are also taking some steps this year “in the interest of moving to a more green approach” for the conference, primarily by requesting that sponsors submit promotional information for inclusion in the conference attendee bags in an electronic format. Promotional materials from most of the sponsors will be provided to attendees on a single USB drive instead of on individual pamphlets. For this year’s meeting, conference proceedings will continue to be provided both as hard copies and on a CD.
For further information on registration, exhibiting, or sponsorship, contact Sheila Coates at +44 (0) 1275 849019 or admin@aerosol-soc.org.uk.
