21 March, 2018 — Leading scientists and researchers from academia and industry will gather to share groundbreaking stem cell science and its translation to clinical application at ISSCR 2018, the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). More than 3,000 stem cell researchers and clinicians from around the world will gather 20-23 June in Melbourne, Australia to discuss recent findings and progress that is driving development of stem cell treatments and cures for disease.
Topics include stem cells and cancer, gene editing and gene therapy, disease modelling and drug discovery, and breakthrough therapies currently in clinical trial, among others. See full program.
What: ISSCR 2018, the largest meeting of stem cell researchers and source of emerging news on stem cell breakthroughs and therapies
When: 20-23 June, 2018
Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Center, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC 3006, Melbourne, Australia
Media may register for ISSCR 2018 at: http://www.isscr.org/meetings-events/annual-meetings/isscr-annual-meeting-2018/media/media-registration-form. Credentialed reporters will have access to top stem cell scientists, press materials, news conferences, and events at the meeting, providing many sources for news articles and features.
Program Highlights:
- Keynote speaker Jennifer Doudna, University of California, Berkeley, will speak 23 June, 16:00. Doudna is known for her research on RNA-mediated gene regulation and CRISPR/Cas9.
- The Opening Plenary discussion 20 June 13:00 – 15:15 will look at the broad impact of stem cell science, with researchers working on stem cells in plants, salamanders, and also in humans, where stem cells are being used to address blindness and cure devastating skin diseases.
- Gene and cell therapy advances will be the focus of talks by Michele De Luca and Graziella Pellegrini of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, IT. De Luca speaks 22 June 16:00; Pellegrini speaks 20 June 13:00. Last year, the De Luca lab successfully used genetically modified skin stem cells to regenerate the skin of a boy who had lost most of his skin to a rare genetic disease.
- Elly Tanaka of the Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna, AT, will speak 20 June, 13:00; Tanaka's lab recently decoded and analyzed the complete axolotl genome, producing data to help identify stem cells for limb and spinal cord regeneration.
- Qiang Sun, of the Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, China, will present 22 June 16:00 on "Stem Cell Based Disease Modelling." His research team generated the first non-human primate clones earlier this year.
- Peter Coffey, University College London, will present 23 June 13:15; his lab engineered retinal cells and created an eye patch for transplantation to treat age-related macular degeneration.
- "Moving to the Clinic: Gene and Stem Cell Therapies," 23 June, 16:00 – 18:20 looks at progress in the development and testing of cell-based medicines; guests will focus on cardiac regenerative medicine, immunological advances including T cell therapy, and bringing medicines to the clinic.
- Additional sessions throughout the meeting feature new and innovative developments in science and technology that are revolutionizing the field. Among areas of focus are: tissue engineering, organ regeneration, gene regulation, neural development and neurological disease, epigenetics, metabolism, aging, and more.
A separate clinically-focused session on Emerging Technologies and Cellular Therapies will be held 19 June, 10:00 – 16:30 with a panel discussing current therapies and those moving toward the clinic. Guests will also focus on emerging technologies making these developments possible. The session will be held at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), 1G Royal Parade, Parkville VIC. Media registration is limited.
A separate public event will be held 18 June, 18:00-20:00, at Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Swanston & Flinders Streets in Melbourne, VIC, featuring researchers and clinicians discussing the importance of stem cell research and answering questions from the audience.
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Several news conferences will be held on-site. Learn more by viewing the full Meeting Program for details about presentations, speakers, and issues on the agenda for ISSCR 2018. Please address any questions about media coverage to:
Contact:
Anne Nicholas, Senior Communications Manager
International Society for Stem Cell Research
+1-847-929-4818; 202-746-0866-c; [email protected]
For more information about stem cell science, visit A Closer Look at Stem Cells, an initiative of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) to help the public learn about stem cell research and its potential to impact human health.
Media Contact
Anne Nicholas
[email protected]
847-929-4818
@ISSCR
http://www.isscr.org
http://www.isscr.org/professional-resources/news-publicationsss/isscr-news-articles/article-detail/2018/03/21/media-registration-open-for-isscr-2018-20-23-june-melbourne-aus
