Dr. Britton Chance, a pioneer in several promising new areas of science, will visit the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for three days in October to promote research in biotechnology and nanobiotechnology. As part of his visit, Chance, the Eldridge Reeves Johnson University Professor Emeritus of Biophysics, Physical Chemistry and Radiologic Physics at the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, will participate in two lectures and one seminar – each on a different University of Texas System campus and all free and open to the public.

The first, a lecture entitled “Cancer Detection by Molecular Beacons and NIR Phased Detection: The Transition From Spectroscopy to Imaging,” will be presented at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, in Nedderman Hall, Room 105, on the University of Texas Arlington campus. Chance will cover the impact of recent developments in optical imaging that are resulting in new techniques for low-cost and “real-time” clinical monitoring and probing of tissues and cancers.

Chance’s second local appearance, to be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Simmons Biomedical Research Building, Room NB2.1B, on the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center campus, will be at a seminar in his honor entitled “Biotechnology and Nano-Biotechnology: Challenges and Opportunities in Drug Targeting in the Post-Genomic Era.” The seminar will feature 10 speakers from industry and academia on a variety of elements of the 21st century biotechnology landscape. A poster session entitled “The Era of Nano-Bio-Info” will be included as a special feature of the workshop.

Then on the third day of his visit to the Metroplex, Friday, Oct. 19, at 2:30 p.m., Chance will give a lecture entitled called “Optical Imaging Approach to Cognitive Function in Problem Solving” in the Erik Jonsson Academic Center, Room 4.614, on the campus of The University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Chance will discuss his recent research on this topic.

“Dr. Chance not only has seen the development of the biotechnology and nanobiotechnology fields; he also has taken an active role in growing and shaping those fields,” said UTD Provost Hobson Wildenthal. “Since he was eager to visit as many campuses as possible, we are able to share his unique insight with multiple communities.”

“We are honored that Professor Britton Chance, a pioneer in biotechnology, biochemistry, and biophysics will visit UT Arlington and the Metroplex,” said Keith McDowell, Vice President for Research and Information Technology at UTA. “This is an outstanding opportunity for faculty, students and the community to interact with a world-famous scientist. We anticipate that his visit will further spur on the development of a biotechnology infrastructure in our region.”

Chance is perhaps best known for his work in biomedical optics, where he was both instrumental in the inception of the field and much of its early growth. His research, which began before World War II, has not been limited to any specific discipline and has advanced the fields of biology, medicine, instrumentation, brain cognitive function and stroke.

Chance is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a Foreign Member of the Royal Society and a Member of the American Philosophical Society. He has received more than 40 awards and honors, including the National Medal of Science in 1975, the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Gold Medal in 1988 and the Christopher Columbus Discovery Award in Biomedical Research in 1992. Chance is an author of more than 1,300 original scientific publications.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls approximately 7,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s Web site at www.utdallas.edu.

About UT Southwestern

UT Southwestern is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, specializing in medical research and treatment in many specialty areas. UT Southwestern’s 1,100-member faculty includes four Nobel laureates and 12 members of the prestigious National Academy of Science. Located just north of downtown Dallas, UT Southwestern and it’s Center for Biomedical Inventions recently launched its first technology partnership, marking a milestone in the center’s efforts to help build a biomedical industry in North Texas.

About UT Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington is a 106-year-old, comprehensive research, teaching and public service institution located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It is the second largest component of the University of Texas System and the seventh largest university in Texas with a student enrollment nearing 21,000. U.T. Arlington has emerged as a comprehensive teaching, research and public service university. UTA offers 83 baccalaureate, 69 masters and 30 doctoral degrees within nine academic units and a graduate school.