CRYO2017 Special Report
A guest post by Fazil Panhwar, student member of the Society for Cryobiology and member of the local organizing committee of CRYO2017.
Fazil is a Masters student, studying with Society for Cryobiology Governor Professor Gang Zhao, at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei. In addition to his studies, Fazil has been an integral member of the local organizing committee and also led the organization of the ICYR activities. He shares his unique perspective and insights into CRYO2017 in this special report.
CRYO2017 “The World Cryobiology and Biobanking Conference” was successfully hosted by University of Science and Technology of China.
The World Cryobiology and Biobanking Conference was successfully held at Fengda International Hotel in Hefei, hosted by the University of Science and Technology of China. This was the first time in nearly 10 years that a conference has been held in China which comprises low temperature engineering, biological preservation technology, cryobiology preservation equipment and biobanking. "Production, Education, Research and the Use of Techniques" were the prime topics of conversation. The Society for Cryobiology CRYO conference is one of the worldwide event of low temperature science.
This Conference was successfully organized by the efforts of Prof. Dayong Gao, from the University of Washington, USA and Prof. Gang Zhao, executive director of the International Institute of Low-temperature Biomedical Sciences at USTC.
The opening ceremony of the General Assembly was successfully convened by the co-chairman, Professor Gao Dayong, the chairman of Hefei Municipal party, and the current President of the Society of Cryobiology Professor Jason Acker. Furthermore the chairman of the General Assembly Jason Acker presented the Society's honored Luyet Fellow Medal to Professor Gao. Professor Acker praised Gao for his decades of outstanding contribution to the development of low temperature science. The Luyet Medal is the highest international award for cryobiology. Shortly after the medal presentation Professor Gao announced the opening of the three day international academic event which consists of 128 seminars, and a nearly equal number of research posters.
During the meeting, many famous experts and scholars from China and abroad offered to collaborate with CRYOBME Lab of University of Science and Technology on the subject of Low Temperature Biomedical Engineering, and also visited the laboratory of low temperature medicine and medical micro-system. The laboratory was founded by Professor Gang Zhao in 2010 and it is characteristic of a low-temperature biomedical engineering laboratory in China, possessing academic influence at home and abroad. After understanding the research situation of the laboratory and the main research achievements, the experts have given a high degree of evaluation on the accumulation of basic scientific research, hardware, ability of research and development, and the interdisciplinary background of the study team and the students' positive research status with the overall management level of the laboratory. Many experts have offered to set up long-term academic exchanges and cooperative relations with the low temperature biomedical engineering laboratory of USTC, and develop multi-disciplinary joint technology in related fields.
During the conference, the International Cryobiology Young Researchers (ICYR) holds social and networking activities for young cryobiologists and friends. The ICYR is the emerging platform for the young researcher who is studying in the field of Cryobiology, Low Temperature Engineering and Cryopreservation Technologies.This year the annual activity of the ICYR was held in Anhui Province of China, and organized by myself, Fazil Panhwar, a student member of the SfC and part of the local organizing committee in Hefei. The motive of the ICYR2017 was to introduce emerging young students to the science of Cryobiology and being introductory agent provide them the opportunity to interact with young graduate Cryobiologists and other senior scientists for discussion of their innovative ideas on emerging research.
From CRYO2016, the ICYR have implemented a 'student moderator' at each symposium to give student delegates a chance to learn how to chair a session. We had great feedback on this activity at CRYO2017, which gave enormous experience to young student for organizing a whole symposium.
The social activities of ICYR2017 began with the grand dinner party of Friends and ICYR members, and later, a great outing to the Anhui Museum. Anhui Museum is devoted to the history of Anhui Province and covers 2500 years of human life and civilization in the area. After the visit to the museum the group stopped at Maan Coffee, a popular coffee chain in China, which specializes in waffles and other sweet treats.
It is worth mentioning that the success of this Conference cannot be separated from the hard work of students of our low temperature medicine and medical micro-system laboratory, more than 30 volunteers in the blazing summer meticulously participated throughout conference. They have been preparing for the conference for nearly two months, from the early stage of the meeting to the organization of the registration. Even in Hefei, in the nearly 40℃ temperatures, volunteers were still enthusiastic, and methodically completed the reception of Chinese and Foreign scholars, check-in, registration, and information distribution. All delegates of the general assembly appreciated the teachers' and students' efforts. The University of Science and Technology of China has made outstanding contributions to the successful convening of the conference and the volunteers have been praised by all the participants of conference.
We miss you fazil.
Thank you, Fazil for such a great report! I love that last picture!
Thank you very much. :)