Human ​pluripotent ​stem ​cells ​possess ​the ​ability ​to ​self ​renew ​in ​vitro ​while ​maintaining ​a ​developmental ​plasticity ​that ​is ​ similar ​to ​that ​exhibited ​by ​progenitor ​cells ​of ​the ​very​ early ​embryo. ​As ​a ​result, ​pluripotent ​stem ​cells ​may ​provide ​ an ​inexhaustible ​supply ​of ​any ​differentiated ​cell ​type ​for ​both ​in ​vitro ​studies ​of ​disease ​and ​regenerative ​medicine.

The ​discovery ​of ​reprogramming ​methods ​that ​rely ​on ​defined ​transcription ​factors ​and ​their ​use ​in ​the ​derivation ​of ​patient-specific ​iPS ​cell ​lines ​have ​greatly ​expanded ​the​ potential ​utility ​of ​pluripotent ​cells. ​Patient-specific ​iPS cells ​have ​already ​enabled ​in ​vitro ​studies ​of ​diseases ​ including ​spinal muscular ​atrophy, ​familial ​dysautonomia ​and​ LEOPARD ​syndrome. ​Future ​applications ​of ​human ​pluripotent ​stem cell ​lines ​could ​also ​include ​the ​study ​of ​common ​diseases ​that ​arise ​as ​the ​result ​of ​complex ​interactions ​between ​a​ patient’s ​genotype ​and ​their ​environment. ​Finally, ​pluripotent ​cells ​will ​eventually ​serve ​as ​a ​renewable ​source ​of ​both autologous ​cells ​and ​tissue ​for ​transplantation ​and ​regenerative ​medicine.

Our second symposium will feature world leaders who will describe their latest advances in stem cell biology and reprogramming.

Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided.

 

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Aydan Karslioglu

Davide Cacchiarelli

Geoffrey Schibinger

Konrad Hochedlinger

Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz

Nissim Benvenisty

Rudolf Jaenisch

Samantha Morris

Tenneille Ludwig

Zachary Smith

Ali Brivanlou

 

SCHEDULE

9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Registration/Coffee

9:35 - 9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks

9:50 - 10:15 a.m Rudolf Jaenisch (Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research - MIT)

10:20 - 10:45 a.m. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz (University of Cambridge)

10:50 - 11:15 a.m. Zachary Smith (Harvard University)

11:20-11:40 a.m. Coffee break

11:45 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. Konrad Hochedlinger (Massachusetts General Hospital)

12:15 - 12:40 p.m. Aydan Karslioglu (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics)

12:45 - 1:45 p.m. Lunch

1:50 - 2:15 p.m. Tenneille Ludwig (WiCell)

2:20-2:45 p.m. Davide Cacchiarelli (Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine)

2:50 - 3:10 p.m. Coffee Break

3:15 - 3:40 p.m. Nissim Benvenisty (Azrieli Center for Stem Cells and Genetic Research - Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

3:45 - 4:10 p.m. Geoffrey Schibinger (Broad Institute)

4:15 - 4:40 p.m. Samantha Morris (Washington University in St. Louis)

4:45 - 5:10 p.m. Ali Brivanlou (The Rockefeller University)

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Reception