ISSCR 8th Annual Meeting: International Society for Stem Cell Research

Date: 16-19 June 2010
Venue: Moscone West, San Francisco, CA USA
Website: www.isscr.org

The ISSCR Annual Meeting offers inspired research, new perspectives and networking with stem cell professionals from around the world. It creates a platform for the exchange of theoretical and applied information and skills, providing delegates with perspective, training and a forum to analyse the latest data.

With topics from reprogramming to in-depth looks at tissue-specific stem cells, the scientific program features 107 speakers from Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East who will share their insights during eight plenary sessions and 15 concurrent scientific tracks. Plenary session topics focus on:

• Presidential Symposium: Irv’s Favourite Talks
• Stem Cells, Oxygen and Metabolism
• DNA Damage and Stem Cell Aging
• Stem Cells of the Digestive Tract
• Reprogramming and Pluripotency
• Neural Stem Cells
• Cardiac Stem Cells for Development and Regeneration
• Disease Modelling and Cell Replacement

Concurrent session topics include:

• Cancer Stem Cells and Tumour Progression
• Cell Therapy
• Early Embryo Development
• Epithelial Stem Cells
• Germline Stem Cells
• Hematopoietic Stem Cells
• Leukemogenesis
• MicroRNA Regulation of Stem Cells
• Muscle Stem Cells
• Pluripotent Stem Cells
• Small Molecule Screening For Stem Cell Regulation
• Stem Cell Niche
• Stem Cell Transplantation and Immune Regulation
• Targeting Cancer Stem Cells
• Transcriptional/Epigenetic Regulation of Stem Cells

Fred H. Gage, PhD, of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies will present the Keynote Address. Dr. Gage’s work concentrates on the adult central nervous system and unexpected plasticity and adaptability to environmental stimulation that remains throughout the life of all mammals. In addition, his studies focus on the cellular and molecular as well as environmental influences that regulate neurogenesis in the adult.

Delivering the Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture this year is Brigid Hogan, PhD, FRS, of the Duke University Medical Center. Her research currently focuses on the genetic control of embryonic development and morphogenesis, using the mouse as a model system. She currently has a particular interest in stem cells of adult endodermal organs, including the lung and esophagus, and their role in organ turnover and repair.

The exhibit hall, commercial tutorials and poster sessions bring additional educational and networking opportunities:

• More than 100 exhibitors will showcase innovative life science technologies
• Commercial tutorials demonstrate products, services and equipment essential to effective research methodologies. Presenting companies include: AMG-Westover Scientific; BD Biosciences; Beckman Coulter Inc.; BioSpherix; Cell Signaling Technology©; Corning Incoporated; Fluidigm Corp.; HumanZyme Inc.; Life technologies/ Invitrogen/Applied Biosystems; Miltenyi Biotec GmbH; R&D Systems Inc.; STEMCELL Technologies Inc.; and Stemgent
• Two poster sessions, each open for two days

Dedicated Junior Investigator events enhance career development and network in a relaxed environment.

• Junior Investigator Social Night – an entertaining evening to socialise and network in a stylish San Francisco nightclub. Supported by Stemgent Pre-registration is required and will only be available online beginning in April
• Junior Investigator Career Panel: Strategies for Success in Publishing – an organised career panel discussion to help determine what’s next. Moderated by Garrett Heffner, panellists include: George Q. Daley, Hans C. Clevers, Deborah J. Sweet and Fiona M. Watt. Supported by Stemgent Watch the ISSCR website for updated infor – mation. All Junior Investigators meeting attendees are encouraged to attend
• Meet the Experts Lunches – talk informally over lunch with leaders in the stem cell field Pre-registration is required and will only be available online beginning in April The Industry Wednesday Symposia are half-day scientific sessions that explore critical issues including tools, strategies and directions in stem cell science.

Industry Wednesday Symposia take place concurrently directly preceding the start of the ISSCR 8th Annual Meeting and are open to registered attendees. Participants this year:

• BD Biosciences: ‘The Utility of Flow Cytometry for the Sorting and Analysis of Heterogenous Stem Cell Populations: From Basic Research to Large-Scale Cell Processing’
• Life technologies/Invitrogen/Applied Biosystems: ‘So You Think Your Idea is Ready for the Clinic; Lessons and Strategies for Getting There’
• Thermo Scientific (part of Thermo Fisher Scientific): ‘Progress Starts Here – Novel Tools and Technology for Your Stem Cell Challenges’

New pre-meeting events highlight important areas that are difficult to adequately represent within the regular scientific sessions:

• ISSCR/CIRM/ISCT Workshop – Stem Cell Therapies in Clinical Trials – Best Practices and the Need for Harmonisation takes place Tuesday 15 June. This day-long workshop will examine the issues involved in harmonising regulatory features internationally so that clinical trials are registered and conducted under common minimum standards accepted by global and national government regulators. Pre-registration is required and available online for registered meeting attendees for an additional fee of USD 100
• Satellite Symposia – Ethical Issues in iPS Research takes place the morning of Wednesday 16 June and is presented by the ISSCR Ethics and Public Policy Committee. Explore the many emerging ethical issues in iPS cell research and examine in depth issues involving somatic cell donors’ rights, informed consent and controversial uses of iPS cell lines for research. Presenters include Insoo Hyun, Timothy Caulfield, Chris Scott and Kazuto Kato. This symposia is open to registered meeting attendees
• Satellite Symposia – Stem Cell Facilities and Resources: Delivering Cells for Therapy takes place the morning of Wednesday 16 June and is presented by UK Stem Cell Bank. As the potential of regenerative medicine begins to be realised, there will be an ever increasing demand for appropriate banking, testing and production facilities and trained staff. In addition, the availability of labs equipped to provide highly qualified cells, advice and training will be critical to fast track the delivery of cell therapies. This workshop will identify key issues in facility and resource development and to map core requirements for the early preclinical stages in the development of stem cell therapies

Registration

Online registration is available through the ISSCR Web site, www.isscr.org/meetings, through 20 May 2010. After 20 May, you must register onsite at Moscone West beginning Wednesday 16 June.

The event will be co-sponsored by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). CIRM was established in early 2005 following passage of Proposition 71. The ballot measure provided three billion US dollars in funding and called for the establishment of a new state agency to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research.

Their mission is to advance stem cell research with the potential to prevent, diagnose, treat and cure disease and disability. We are in a race against disease, not a race against other states or nations. We will work with other collaborators and allies around the world in meeting our obligation to advance stem cell therapies to reduce human suffering. For more information, visit www.cirm.ca.gov.