Uniting and Educating the Global Stem Cell Community

Health & Wellness

Uniting and Educating the Global Stem Cell Community

By
Dana Sparks

December 3, 2013

Media Expert Alert: Mayo Clinic Leaders to Co-Host the World Stem Cell Summit in San Diego

The World Stem Cell Summit, December 4-6 in San Diego, unites and educates the global stem cell community. With more than 1,200 attendees from more than 40 countries, the annual World Stem Cell Summit’s interdisciplinary agenda explores disease updates, research directions, cell standardization, regulatory pathways, reimbursements, financing, venture capital and economic development.

Journalists: Mayo Clinic physicians and scientists and others are available to discuss current research and the development of new therapies in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine. To arrange an interview, contact Jennifer Schutz, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu.

The World Stem Cell Summit includes in-depth programming and more than 170 international speakers, including the leaders from the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine who are listed below.

Atta Behfar, M.D., Ph.D., is director of the Cardiac Regeneration Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Behfar and colleagues are studying the repair capacity of a patient’s own stem cells prior to delivery into the heart muscle, offering new-era regenerative platforms for patients with life-threatening heart disease.
Allan Dietz, Ph.D., co-director of the Human Cell Therapy Laboratory within the Center for Regenerative Medicine, focuses on the use of cells as drugs to suppress immunity and enhance tissue repair.
Clifford Folmes, Ph.D., is a research fellow in cardiovascular disease research. At the World Stem Cell Summit, Dr. Folmes will participate in a panel discussion on stem cells in microgravity.
Timothy Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., is director of the Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). In the program, a diverse group of Mayo Clinic physicians and researchers are working to launch clinical trials that bring the latest advances in cell therapy to people with HLHS. Additionally, Dr. Nelson oversees the Regenerative Medicine Consult Service at Mayo Clinic, which provides educational information and appropriate referrals to patients who want to learn about regenerative medicine opportunities at Mayo Clinic and elsewhere.
Sanjay Patel, M.D., is a corneal specialist and corneal transplant surgeon who has research interests in Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy, the most common indicator for corneal transplantation at Mayo Clinic, and in developing regenerative medicine methods of treating corneal disease.
Jorge Rakela, M.D., is associate director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Rakela’s research is focused on acute and chronic liver diseases, specifically in the area of hepatic regeneration.
Stephen Russell, M.D., Ph.D., is deputy director for Translation in the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. He is professor of medicine in the Department of Hematology, and his research is focused on converting viruses into powerful anticancer drugs.
Robert Simari, M.D., is co-director of the Valve and Vascular Regeneration and Repair Program at Mayo Clinic. In the program, teams are creating biological heart valves and developing ways to enhance blood vessel growth and repair to treat the underlying sources of cardiovascular diseases.
Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., Michael S. and Mary Sue Shannon Director, Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine and Marriott Family Professor in Cardiovascular Diseases Research. Dr. Terzic has pioneered regenerative medicine at Mayo Clinic, and his program capitalizes on emerging technologies to transform therapeutic modalities from palliative measures to cures.
Anthony Windebank, M.D., a neurologist and molecular biologist, is deputy director for Discovery in the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. He is director of the Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, which focuses on repair and regeneration after spinal cord injury, repair and regeneration of peripheral nerve and stem cell applications for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.