Titel: New strategies in regenerative biology: the marriage of biology and materials science

Termin: 24.9.2006, 7:00 Uhr, bis 26.9.2006, 17:00 Uhr

Veranstaltungsort:
Get together:

Schlosshotel Karlsruhe
Bahnhofplatz 2
76137 Karlsruhe

Workshop:

Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe
Center for Advanced Technological and Environmental Training
Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1
76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen

Referenten: Alexander Welle *** Andreas Lendlein *** Axel Szabowski *** Carlos Semino *** Glyn Stacy *** Jan Simon *** Jochen Wittbrodt *** Jonathan Sleeman *** Kari Alitalo *** Laurence Bordenave *** Marco Arnold *** Matthias Hammerschmidt *** Reinhard Köster *** Renato Paro *** Thomas Holstein *** Thomas Schimmel *** Thomas Skutella *** Ulrich Schwarz *** Uwe Strähle *** Wolfgang Driever

Weitere Informationen:
http://www.fzk.de/fzk/idcplg?IdcService=FZK&node=0068&document=ID_0544 ...

Kurzbeschreibung: Although our knowledge of fundamental biological processes has increased rapidly in the last decades, we are nonetheless often still far from being able to bring them into medical application. Our knowledge about the biology of stem cells in particular is still very vague, and is therefore an important theme in the workshop. In particular, adult stem cells have a great potential in regenerative strategies. We know very little about the niches of adult stem cells, the factors that maintain them and the signalling systems that activate them. It is believed that interactions with the extracellular matrix and other types in the surrounding stroma are important for keeping stem cells in a pluripotent state, for regulating their differentiation and for their survival. The extracellular microenvironment also plays a very important role in other aspects of tissue repair and regeneration, and is therefore also a major topic in the workshop.

To be able to modulate tissue regeneration, it will be vital to understand fully the biology of repair processes. For example, what determines whether a damaged tissue forms scar tissue or properly regenerates? Furthermore, basic developmental programmes are often reiterated during regeneration, pointing to the importance of understanding the role and regulation of these programmes and their relevance to tissue regeneration. These major themes will also feature strongly in the workshop.

If we were able to mimic the appropriate environments in vitro, we should be able to propagate stem cells in vitro before re-implanting them into the patient. Alternatively, it is conceivable that tissues could be engineered in vitro from stem cells. Novel cell culture systems with tailor-made growth and support surfaces in two and three dimensions may provide solutions in this direction. As an extension to this idea, the development of new materials that can be implanted into the patient and which would selectively stimulate regeneration by providing docking sites for stem cells holds great promise. Thus, the comprehensive understanding of the interactions between living cells and the innate surfaces provided by material sciences and nanotechnology will be of utmost importance for the development of novel regenerative strategies. The exploitation and application of biomaterials and bioengineering will therefore also be a major theme in the workshop.

Although we still have a lot to learn about the process of regeneration and how to stimulate it therapeutically, nevertheless we are already at a stage where there are many possibilities for translational research and application, in which the marriage of biology and materials science plays a major role. The workshop will therefore conclude with a session addressing the state of the art of current clinical applications, which will point the way forward to further exploitation.

Kontakt: Herr Dr. Ulrich Knapp
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe
REGMED
Workshop Secretary
Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1
76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Tel.: +49 - (0)7247 - 82 55 77
Fax: +49 - (0)7247 - 82 55 79
ulrich.knapp@regmed.fzk.de
http://www.fzk.de/fzk/idcplg?IdcService=FZK&node=Home

Veranstalter: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Schlagworte: Embryonale Stammzellen, Genetische Tests/Beratung, Genforschung/-technik, In-vitro-Fertilisation, Krankheit, Organ-/Gewebetransplantation