Titel: Stem Cells: What Future for Therapy? scientific aspects and bioethical problems
Termin:
14.9.2006
Veranstaltungsort:
AUGUSTINIANUM
Paolo VI street
ROME
Referenten: D.A. Prentice (Georgetown, VA, USA) *** A. Vescovi (Milan, Italy) *** B.E. Strauer (Düsseldorf, Germany) *** D. Hess (Augusta, GA, USA) *** C.P. McGuckin (Kingston, UK) *** Alan Mackay-Sim (Nathan, Queensland, Australia) *** J. L. Sherley (Cambridge, MA, USA) *** M. De Luca (Venice and Modena, Italy) *** N.A. Habib (London, UK) *** C. Lima (Lisbon, Portugal) *** P. Silburn (Brisbane, Australia) *** I. Carrasco (Valencia, Spain) *** M. Faggioni (Rome, Italy) *** M. Condic (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) *** Claude Huriet (Paris, France)
Weitere Informationen:
http://www.stemcellsrome2006.org/
However, it was only in the past few years that stem cells have received a large attention by the media, causing a widespread interest in the public opinion and moving enthusiasm among scientists.
The hope to subsequently convert stem cells into cells of a target tissue, seemed to announce the imminent availability of a boundless source of replacement tissues, the era of a regenerative medicine just behind the corner, and a promised land for the economies of technologically advanced countries.
Yet, the media themselves could not hide the deep ethical concerns arising from the scientific world itself and, more, from ethicists, politicians and pro-life movements, with the debate bisecting the public opinion and being also a matter of referendums, as recently in Italy.
In fact, any future therapy using embryonic stem cells presumed that the cell lines were obtained by sacrificing the lives of human embryos. Hence, the need to ethically justify the destruction of live human embryos, implied by the procedures for their extraction, with the great benefits promised by the therapeutic applications of human embryonic stem cells.
Over the past few years some things have changed. On one side stem cells extracted by the destruction of human embryos, although easier to be cultivated in vitro, are characterized by great, yet unsolved problems in vivo, such as the development of tumors, the need of immune compatible donors, the possibility of infections due to the animal layers used for cell cultures.
On the other hand scientific evidence has shown that stem cells coming from adults or extracted from the placenta and umbilical cord after the birth of a child are much more abundant and more easy to cultivate in laboratories than it was previously believed. In addition, the growing evidence about the possibilities of transdifferentiation from one cell line to the other makes non embryionic stem cells more attractive in terms of their ability to generate different types of tissue, and more effective for distinct types of therapy.
The Congress is intended to offer a forum for evaluating the present status of therapeutical applications of stem cells in the different clinical fields. This thorough review will be preceded by presentations about the history and the future directions of research on stem cells and by a general overview on the biology and physiology of stem cells.
The impact of research on stem cells and their applications on regenerative medicine, on the future of biotechnologies and on the economy and politics themselves of developed countries will also be examined.
In addition to the scientific updates, qualified experts in bio-ethics will discuss the ethical problems arising from the research on stem cells and by its clinical applications.
The invited lectures will be presented by a faculty of distinguished speakers. In addition, large space will be reserved to the presentation of free oral communications and posters. The organisers invite clinicians, scientists and ethicists to share their experiences with stem cells in the fields covered by the invited speakers and, possibly, in other fields as well.
The venue of the Congress, adjacent to St. Peters Square, is enchanting and will permit to the participants to enjoy the magic atmosphere, the cosmopolitan flavour and the warm hospitality of the Eternal City.
In addition to a wide range of accommodation facilities for every taste, several nearby comfortable religious institutes at reasonable cost have been made available by the organisers.
We are confident that the level of the scientific sessions and the beauties of Rome will attract many participants, making this congress a memorable event.
Kontakt:
Ms. Isabelle Biondi
World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations
Palazzo San Calisto
00120 CITTA' DEL VATICANO
Italy
Tel.:
+39 - 06 - 69 88 73 72
Fax: +39 - 06 - 69 88 73 72
secretariat@stemcellsrome2006.org
http://www.fiamc.org/
Veranstalter: World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, Pontifical Academy for Life
Schlagworte: Biotechnologie, Embryonale Stammzellen, Embryonenforschung