LabAutomation2008 Features 2001 Nobel Prize Winner
K. Barry Sharpless as Plenary Speaker
Leading conference and exhibition set to take place
January 26-30 in Palm Springs, CA


CHICAG0 Nobel Prize winner K. Barry Sharpless, Ph.D., W.M. Keck Professor of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute, will lead the plenary line-up at LabAutomation2008. LabAutomation2008 is the Association for Laboratory Automations (ALA) annual, world-renowned conference and exhibition on emerging laboratory automation strategies and technologies. The conference is being held in Palm Springs, Calif., January 26-30, 2008.

Sharpless received the Nobel Prize in 2001 for his discovery of general reactions for catalytic asymmetric epoxidation, dihydroxylation, and aminohydroxylation. As a scientist of discovery and advancement of chemical methods, Sharpless plans to discuss click chemistry, his new synthetic stratagem for the rapid discovery of chemical function. LabAutomation2008 attendees will have the opportunity to hear this engaging presentation at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 28.

Joining Sharpless as part of the plenary platform is Henry Chesbrough, Executive Director of the Center for Open Innovation at the Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley. Chesbrough is the author of Open Innovation, a book demonstrating that because useful knowledge is no longer concentrated in a small number of large organizations, business leaders must adopt a new, open model of innovation. Using this model, Chesbrough asks companies to look outside their boundaries for ideas and intellectual property (IP) they can bring in, as well as license their unutilized home-grown IP to other organizations. Chesbrough also introduces a new set of players, innovation intermediaries, and explores the impact of stronger IP protection. Chesbrough will speak at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 29.

Completing the plenary line-up is Paul R. Gudonis, President of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). FIRST is an organization of 60,000 passionate engineers and scientists who work with more than 200,000 students making it cool to be smart. Gudonis, who holds an MBA from Harvard and boasts 25 years of experience as a technology industry executive, will address the audience at LabAutomation2008s Innovation Awards Luncheon and Closing Ceremony on Wednesday, January 30.

For more information on LabAutomation2008, visit www.labautomation.org, or call +1.888.733.1ALA (1252). For information on LabAutomation2008 registration, visit: www.labautomation.org/LA08/registration.cfm

The Association for Laboratory Automation (ALA) is a worldwide organization representing leaders in all aspects of laboratory automation. ALA seeks to provide a greater understanding of the importance and value of automation technologies in laboratory settings, to advance science and promote education related to laboratory automation by encouraging the study, advancing the science and improving the practice of medical and laboratory automation.

LabAutomation2008, January 26-30, Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, CA is a five-day event bringing together laboratory automation scientists, academicians, business leaders and students from around the globe in conjunction with the worlds largest exhibition of laboratory technologies.