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2010: what next for stem cell biology?

18 - 19 October 2010 09:00 - 17:00

 

Organised by Professor Sir Ian Wilmut FRS, Dr Ian Chambers and Dr Gareth Sullivan

Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented advance in our ability to alter cell identity. By controlled manipulation of the extracellular and/or intracellular environment we can now direct cells between different embryonic and adult states. World-leading scientists will discuss how this re-shaping of the way we think of using cells may herald new strategies for research and therapy. 

The proceedings of this meeting have now been published in a special issue of Philosophical Transactions B. Audio recordings of the meeting are also available below.

 

Organisers

  • EDINBURGH, UK - 8th June 2009: Portrait of Professor Sir Ian Wilmut. (Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY).

    Professor Sir Ian Wilmut FRS, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, UK

    Ian Wilmut is the Director of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. The Mission of the Centre is to develop new treatments for human disease through innovative research with stem cells. The new Centre covers the full spectrum of research - from basic mechanisms of stem cell regulation, via rigorous translational studies, to clinical trials with stem cells and their derivatives. Purpose designed facilities that will be completed in spring 2011 are being built alongside the new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The research of Ian’s own group is directed toward understanding the mechanisms that bring about reprogramming of nuclei and with exploiting new opportunities for reprogramming cells to study degenerative diseases, such as motor neuron disease.

  • Dr Ian Chambers, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, UK

    After graduating with 1st class Honours in Biochemistry from the University of Strathclyde, Ian did his Ph.D. at the Beatson Institute, Glasgow. During this time he discovered that UGA, normally a ‘stop’ codon, encodes the 21st amino acid selenocysteine. Ian then performed post-doctoral studies with Nobel Laureate, Paul Berg (Stanford) and after returning to the UK, with Austin Smith. During that time Ian and Austin co-discovered (with Shinya Yamanaka and colleagues) the transcription factor, Nanog. Based on its overexpression phenotype, they named their new discovery after Tir nan Og, the Celtic Land-of-the-Ever-Young. In 2007, Ian demonstrated the existence of cells within the pluripotent compartment defined by lowered expression of Nanog that are primed for, but uncommitted to, differentiation and that can fluctuate back to a high Nanog expressing, differentiation-resistant state. Ian is continuing his research at the University of Edinburgh where he is Professor of Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology.  

  • Dr Gareth Sullivan, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, UK

    Gareth is a Research Fellow at the MRC Centre of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. The area of research Gareth is engaged in is the utilisation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells as a research tool to understand disease and exploit the potential iPS technology in toxicology.