Thursday, June 17, 2010 (SF Chronicle)
Stem cell researchers gather in San Francisco
<a class="email fn" href="mailto:eallday@sfchronicle.com">Erin Allday, Chronicle Staff Writer</a>
The biggest stars of stem cell research are converging on San Francisco
this week for a global conference focused on the latest science, but also
on how the experts studying it should best go about applying that science
to practical treatments for human patients.
Of the 4,000 scientists signed up for the conference of the International
Society for Stem Cell Research, roughly a quarter of them are based in
California - and much of the focus of this week's discussions will be on
research taking place in the Bay Area, such as potential therapies for
treating Parkinson's or epilepsy, or a rare but fatal brain disease in
children.
Scientists attending the conference said they're particularly eager to
hear about work being done to create all kinds of cells - including those
that resemble embryonic stem cells, which in theory can turn into any type
of cell in the body - from a simple skin biopsy. Human models
Ultimately, scientists would like to use those stem cells to treat
diseases in humans. For now, they are just excited at the prospect of
being able to build human models of genetic diseases using stem cells.
"This might allow us to take skin cells and turn them into nerve cells
that we can use for very sophisticated experiments. You could do studies
for heart cells or liver cells or other genetic diseases that affect other
organs," said Dr. Arnold Kriegstein, director of the Eli and Edythe Broad
Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF. "We've
never been able to take brain cells from patients with, say, Parkinson's
disease and study them in the laboratory."
The stem cell conference runs through Saturday at Moscone Center; it's not
open to the public. Many scientists attending the meetings said it is
especially thrilling this year to see the first major wave of research
starting clinical trials in human subjects.
This week's conference is the first major meeting after the California
Institute for Regenerative Medicine issued more than $200 million in
grants late last year. The grants, which ranged from $5 million to $20
million, were given with the explicit understanding that scientists be
ready for human trials within four years. Still mostly theory
Stem cell research really took off about a decade ago, but until recently
it was all theoretical. Most of it still is.
"Probably 90 percent of what you hear at this conference won't be even
close to trials," said Dr. Irving Weissman, director of Stanford
University's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
But it's an exciting time, nonetheless, he said. "It's a remarkable
experiment that's happening," Weissman said. "Stem cell research has
spread rapidly, and nowhere faster than in California."
Weissman said he's eager to share with other scientists what California is
doing to speed up stem cell research. But he's also looking forward to
hearing from researchers in other countries that are holding clinical
trials, to talk about the possibility of future partnerships, and how
overseas research can be made to meet U.S. safety and ethical standards.
But the science is obviously the star of this week's conference. Bay Area
researchers will show off the work they're doing in using stem cells to
treat heart disease, brain injuries and various genetic disorders that
affect almost any organ in the body.
Robert Blelloch, a researcher at UCSF's stem cell center, said that after
nearly a decade studying stem cells, he's surprised at how much the
science has changed in so short a period of time. The conference, he said,
gives him a much-needed chance to get out of his lab and get caught up on
the big picture.
"It used to be that there were certain (stem cell) journals that you would
read cover to cover and be satisfied. Now it's so many journals, so many
articles, and the science is moving so fast that I don't find that
possible to do anymore," Blelloch said. "I knew all the major stem cell
players six years ago. It's not a small group anymore. It's not an
exclusive group anymore." Learn more
The International Society for Stem Cell Research has recently developed a
Web site for patients seeking more information about available treatments
- both in the United States and abroad.
The Web site is www.closerlookatstemcells.org/AM.
E-mail Erin Allday at eallday@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2010 SF Chronicle
Stem cell researchers gather in San Francisco
<a class="email fn" href="mailto:eallday@sfchronicle.com">Erin Allday, Chronicle Staff Writer</a>
The biggest stars of stem cell research are converging on San Francisco
this week for a global conference focused on the latest science, but also
on how the experts studying it should best go about applying that science
to practical treatments for human patients.
Of the 4,000 scientists signed up for the conference of the International
Society for Stem Cell Research, roughly a quarter of them are based in
California - and much of the focus of this week's discussions will be on
research taking place in the Bay Area, such as potential therapies for
treating Parkinson's or epilepsy, or a rare but fatal brain disease in
children.
Scientists attending the conference said they're particularly eager to
hear about work being done to create all kinds of cells - including those
that resemble embryonic stem cells, which in theory can turn into any type
of cell in the body - from a simple skin biopsy. Human models
Ultimately, scientists would like to use those stem cells to treat
diseases in humans. For now, they are just excited at the prospect of
being able to build human models of genetic diseases using stem cells.
"This might allow us to take skin cells and turn them into nerve cells
that we can use for very sophisticated experiments. You could do studies
for heart cells or liver cells or other genetic diseases that affect other
organs," said Dr. Arnold Kriegstein, director of the Eli and Edythe Broad
Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF. "We've
never been able to take brain cells from patients with, say, Parkinson's
disease and study them in the laboratory."
The stem cell conference runs through Saturday at Moscone Center; it's not
open to the public. Many scientists attending the meetings said it is
especially thrilling this year to see the first major wave of research
starting clinical trials in human subjects.
This week's conference is the first major meeting after the California
Institute for Regenerative Medicine issued more than $200 million in
grants late last year. The grants, which ranged from $5 million to $20
million, were given with the explicit understanding that scientists be
ready for human trials within four years. Still mostly theory
Stem cell research really took off about a decade ago, but until recently
it was all theoretical. Most of it still is.
"Probably 90 percent of what you hear at this conference won't be even
close to trials," said Dr. Irving Weissman, director of Stanford
University's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
But it's an exciting time, nonetheless, he said. "It's a remarkable
experiment that's happening," Weissman said. "Stem cell research has
spread rapidly, and nowhere faster than in California."
Weissman said he's eager to share with other scientists what California is
doing to speed up stem cell research. But he's also looking forward to
hearing from researchers in other countries that are holding clinical
trials, to talk about the possibility of future partnerships, and how
overseas research can be made to meet U.S. safety and ethical standards.
But the science is obviously the star of this week's conference. Bay Area
researchers will show off the work they're doing in using stem cells to
treat heart disease, brain injuries and various genetic disorders that
affect almost any organ in the body.
Robert Blelloch, a researcher at UCSF's stem cell center, said that after
nearly a decade studying stem cells, he's surprised at how much the
science has changed in so short a period of time. The conference, he said,
gives him a much-needed chance to get out of his lab and get caught up on
the big picture.
"It used to be that there were certain (stem cell) journals that you would
read cover to cover and be satisfied. Now it's so many journals, so many
articles, and the science is moving so fast that I don't find that
possible to do anymore," Blelloch said. "I knew all the major stem cell
players six years ago. It's not a small group anymore. It's not an
exclusive group anymore." Learn more
The International Society for Stem Cell Research has recently developed a
Web site for patients seeking more information about available treatments
- both in the United States and abroad.
The Web site is www.closerlookatstemcells.org/AM.
E-mail Erin Allday at eallday@sfchronicle.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2010 SF Chronicle