Smartphones and tablets have transformed our lives in many ways. But for developing countries, these technologies also are helping eliminate diseases and improve health. At an April 11 symposium, leading technologists and public health experts will show how these devices are transforming global health and will offer ideas for accelerating innovation in the space.
The symposium, hosted by The Task Force for Global Health and Georgia Global Health Alliance, will feature the world’s leading diagnostic experts from academia, nongovernmental organizations, and government.
From smartphone microscopes that detect parasites in blood in minutes to tablet-based field scanners that detect swelling to help treat a disfiguring disease, they will discuss a range of innovative technologies that are being used in health programs in low-income countries, some of which have been developed here in Atlanta.
While Atlanta is at the forefront of using these technologies, experts will explain why more diagnostic tools are needed and the prospects for adapting increasingly sophisticated consumer mobile technologies for global health uses.The smartphone-based LoaScope and tablet-based Lymphatech will be available for demonstrations.
What: Symposium: Mobile to Multiplex-Opportunities for Accelerating Innovation in Global Health Diagnostics
When: Thursday, April 11, 2019, from4 p.m. to 6p.m.
Where: The Task Force for Global Health, 330 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030.
Who: Keynote Address: “Harnessing High Tech for Global Health"
Dan Fletcher, PhD, University of California at Berkeley. Inventor of the LoaScope that turns a smartphone into a high-quality light microscope for diagnosing parasitic infections.With panelists:
- Dianna Blau, DVM, PhD, laboratory and diagnostics leader, Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program (seconded from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- J. Brandon Dixon, PhD, associate professor, bioengineering, Georgia Tech
- Jessica Fairley, MD, infectious disease specialist, Emory University
- Patrick Lammie, PhD, senior scientist, Neglected Tropical Diseases Support Center, The Task Force for Global Health
Why: The panel will explore how emerging technologies are being used to improve global health and how to address the needs for diagnostics in countries that need them the most but can least afford them. Panelists will also survey trends in the development of global health diagnostics.
Parking: Free parking is in the parking deck off of Swanton Way, directly behind the W. Ponce building. Look for parking signs directing you to the deck entrance.
Register: The event is free and open to all. We request the public register here.
More info:
Task Force: website and Twitter
GGHA: website and Twitter
Headshots and images of technologies here
Webcast: A webcast is available for those who can’t attend in person. Click this link to watch.
About The Task Force for Global Health
The Task Force for Global Health is an independent, nongovernmental organization based in Decatur, GA, USA, with field offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Islamabad, Pakistan.The Task Force’s13 programs focus on controlling, eliminating, and eradicating debilitating diseases, and strengthening systems that address the broader health needs of populations. The Task Force is ranked the top nonprofit in the United States for the total valueof in-kind donations received each year from pharmaceutical companies to eliminate neglected tropical diseases, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. www.taskforce.org
