San Diego-based Accelrys Inc., a provider of scientific modeling and workflow software, announced that Robert Langer, institute professor in chemical and biomedical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has joined the scientific advisory committee (SAC) of the Accelrys NanoBiology Initiative. The purpose of the initiative is to assess and develop IT solutions that address critical challenges of nanotechnology-enabled pharmaceutical and diagnostic design. One of only 13 institute professors -- MIT's highest faculty honor -- Langer has written more than 880 articles and filed nearly 550 patents worldwide, more than 180 of which have been licensed to pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and medical device companies. He served as a member of the US Food and Drug Administration's Science Board from 1995 to 2002 (chairman, 1999-2002). Langer joins initiative chair Leroy Hood, president of the Institute for Systems Biology, as the second member of the NanoBiology Initiative SAC. For more information about the initiative or to register for the informational seminar series scheduled for August 8-15 in Boston, Chicago, Seattle and San Diego, visit: www.accelrys.com/info/initiatives/nanobio/index.html