FDA Deputy Director for Medical Devices to Speak at SEMDA 2012 Conference

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - Feb 8, 2012) - William H. Maisel, MD, MPH, Chief Scientist and Deputy Center Director for Science at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), will be a keynote speaker at the SEMDA 2012 Conference, it was announced today. Dr. Maisel is responsible for providing leadership in the development, implementation, execution, management and direction of the Center's broad national and international biomedical science programs.

The sixth annual SEMDA Conference will be held on March 13-14, 2012, at the Georgia Tech Center for Global Learning. Recognized as the premier gathering for the Southeast medical device industry, the conference balances presentations by medical device companies to investors with educational programs, 1:1 partnering and networking opportunities.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Maisel join us at the SEMDA 2012 Conference," said David Hartnett, SEMDA President and Vice President of Bioscience/Health IT Industry Development at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. "The FDA plays a critical role for companies developing medical devices, and Dr. Maisel will be able to provide an unprecedented level of insight into the workings of the organization."

Prior to joining FDA, Dr. Maisel was Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Medical Device Safety Institute, a non-profit organization affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is a Board-certified cardiologist with more than 15 years of clinical experience.

He is former Chair of the FDA Circulatory System and Post-Market Medical Device Advisory Committees, and is a former member of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Coverage Advisory Committee. Dr. Maisel received his undergraduate degree in biology from MIT, his medical degree from Cornell Medical College, and his Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. He has published more than 120 research manuscripts, book chapters, and scientific abstracts on regulatory science, device innovation, and medical device safety and effectiveness.

The SEMDA Conference is specifically designed to meet the needs of medical device industry professionals and brings together professionals from throughout the Southeast. Other highlights will include:

• Presentations from some of the region's top existing and emerging medical device companies
• Workshops on a variety of topics including critical business issues affecting those within the industry
• Panel discussions by VCs and business development professionals, as well as a CEO Roundtable
• Numerous industry networking opportunities plus structured 1:1 partnering

About SEMDA
The Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) is a non-profit trade association that supports and promotes medical device companies in the Southeast. Created in 2004, the association provides a unique resource and networking opportunity for medical device companies, inventors, physicians, and investors interested in accelerating the growth of the medical device industry in the Southeast. Through quarterly and members-only meetings, as well as its highly regarded annual Conference, SEMDA meets the needs of members of the medical device community. Learn more at www.semda.net.