Riyadh conference to open new frontiers in stem cell research

RIYADH: King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) will organize the 3rd International Stem Cells Conference in Riyadh aiming to open new frontiers in stem cell research and development.
Stem cell research is a broad topic that sheds light on how to best exploit human cells to treat diseases of certain organs, such as the liver, kidney or nerves. Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem cell therapy.
To be organized by KSAU-HS, in association with the International Placenta Stem Cell Society (IPLASS), the three-day conference will open on Sept. 19 at the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), which is dedicated to supporting and promoting excellence in stem cell research throughout the world.
Significantly, KAIMRC, in association with Health Affairs at the National Guard, recently organized a conference on stem cell research and its application, unveiling the latest discoveries and findings of researchers from the stem cell and regenerative medicine unit at the center, which was attended by experts on stem cell research representing Saudi Arabia, the United States, Britain, France, Sweden, Italy, Australia and New Zealand.
The KAIMRC-2016 stem cell conference will be held under the title “New Frontiers in Stem Cell Basic Research, Translation and Clinical Application,” and the emphasis will be on the latest advances in the basic science of stem cells, cord blood banking, stem cell transplantation, disease modeling, tissue bioengineering, bone marrow donor registry and HLA typing, organizers said.
Participants will have opportunities to meet new contacts and foster collaborations in the stem cell field, organizers said, adding that the conference will stimulate and promote enthusiasm for scientists, clinicians and students working in stem cell research. The technical sessions during the conference will feature keynote speakers, symposia, posters and new investigator sessions to encourage and promote research and development in stem cells.
Moreover, this international forum aims to create a network between groups which are scattered all over the world, who work on stem cells, and to bridge this network with other existing networks focused on stem cell biology or therapeutic applications.
IPLASS is an international scientific organization open to scientists who are working in, or have previously worked in the field of placenta-derived stem cells.
Established in 2009 by a group of fourteen scientists representing nine different countries (US, China, Australia, India, Italy, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland), with the purpose of becoming a worldwide networking platform for research into stem cells, the main objective of IPLASS is to promote research in all aspects related to knowledge, experimentation and clinical use of placenta-derived stem cells.