By Brie Zeltner, The Plain Dealer
8-16-15
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2015/08/cleveland_stem_cell_conference.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than 200 of the world's leading experts on adult stem cell research and regenerative medicine are gathered in Cleveland this week. They're here for MSC 2015, a biennial conference that highlights research on the topic.
MSC refers to mesenchymal stem cells, adult human stem cells typically found in the bone marrow. The cells are being tested in hundreds of clinical trials in the U.S. and abroad as a way to treat a variety of health conditions such as multiple sclerosis, graft versus host disease in organ donation, cirrhosis, osteoarthritis, emphysema and stroke.
The conference, hosted by Cleveland's National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), is the largest to focus on MSCs. It starts Monday and runs through Wednesday at the Marriott Downtown at Key Center.
The center was formed in 2003 with grant money from the state's Ohio Third Frontier initiative and has five partner institutions: Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University and local biotech firm Athersys.
Researchers at Case, UH Case and the Clinic have been testing MSCs as a treatment for patients with MS with some initial positive results.
"We're doing a variety of studies with MSCs and related cells, and are very close to initiating studies in lung disease," said Dr. Stanton Gerson, NRCM's director at Case.
"What's exciting about this conference is that you get people to come to Cleveland from all over the world to talk about this topic and it really validates our position nationally and helps our national collaborations," he said.
Topics for this year's MSC conference include the role of adult stem cells in sports medicine, cancer, and cardiology. There are even presentations on the use of MSCs in pets by a California-based company called VetStem Biopharma, which markets the treatment for arthritis in dogs and cats, or tendon and ligament issues in horses.
"They've made amazing progress healing tendons and ligaments in horses and really helped the field," said Gerson.
Experts presenting at the conference represent healthcare systems, biotech companies and universities nationwide and from Ireland, Israel, Taiwan, Poland and the Netherlands.
You can check out the conference's full agenda here. http://www.mscconference.net/program.htm#monday
8-16-15
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2015/08/cleveland_stem_cell_conference.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than 200 of the world's leading experts on adult stem cell research and regenerative medicine are gathered in Cleveland this week. They're here for MSC 2015, a biennial conference that highlights research on the topic.
MSC refers to mesenchymal stem cells, adult human stem cells typically found in the bone marrow. The cells are being tested in hundreds of clinical trials in the U.S. and abroad as a way to treat a variety of health conditions such as multiple sclerosis, graft versus host disease in organ donation, cirrhosis, osteoarthritis, emphysema and stroke.
The conference, hosted by Cleveland's National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM), is the largest to focus on MSCs. It starts Monday and runs through Wednesday at the Marriott Downtown at Key Center.
The center was formed in 2003 with grant money from the state's Ohio Third Frontier initiative and has five partner institutions: Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University and local biotech firm Athersys.
Researchers at Case, UH Case and the Clinic have been testing MSCs as a treatment for patients with MS with some initial positive results.
"We're doing a variety of studies with MSCs and related cells, and are very close to initiating studies in lung disease," said Dr. Stanton Gerson, NRCM's director at Case.
"What's exciting about this conference is that you get people to come to Cleveland from all over the world to talk about this topic and it really validates our position nationally and helps our national collaborations," he said.
Topics for this year's MSC conference include the role of adult stem cells in sports medicine, cancer, and cardiology. There are even presentations on the use of MSCs in pets by a California-based company called VetStem Biopharma, which markets the treatment for arthritis in dogs and cats, or tendon and ligament issues in horses.
"They've made amazing progress healing tendons and ligaments in horses and really helped the field," said Gerson.
Experts presenting at the conference represent healthcare systems, biotech companies and universities nationwide and from Ireland, Israel, Taiwan, Poland and the Netherlands.
You can check out the conference's full agenda here. http://www.mscconference.net/program.htm#monday