Symposium - Stem Cell Technologies: from Bench to Applications

This one day comprehensive program has especially been designed to offer a view on moving Stem Cells from Biology to Cell-Based Therapies. Industry, academia and regulatory share experiences on real case studies and identify and highlight key issues on the valorisation of Cell-Based products from basic research to clinical development.

Program

08h45 Registration and coffee
09h30 Welcome and introduction, Survey on Academical Research - Prof. Dr. Ir. Koenraad Debackere, Managing Director, K.U.Leuven R&D, Belgium
09h45 Opening of the morning program, chaired by Prof. Dr. Catherine Verfaillie, Director Stem Cell Institute Leuven, Belgium

Session 1: Stem Cell Biology and Therapeutics
10h00 Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells - Prof. Dr. Arnold Caplan, Biology and General Medical Sciences, Director Skeletal Research Center, Case Western Reserve University, USA
10h30 Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation: State of the Art - Dr. John Wagner, Director of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplantation, University of Minnesota, USA
11h00 Coffee break
11h30 Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Technology - Prof. Dr. Stefan Janssens, Cardiac Unit and Center for Transgene Technology and Gene Therapy, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium
12h00 Case Athersys Inc.: Applications of MultiStem for the Treatment of Human Disease - Dr. Gil Van Bokkelen, Chairman and CEO, Athersys Inc., USA

12h30 Sandwich lunch
13h30 Opening of the afternoon program, chaired by Prof. Dr. Marc Boogaerts, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathophysiology, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium

Session 2: Clinical and Regulatory Framework
13h45 Joint Surface Repair: from Bench to Bedside - Prof. Dr. Frank Luyten, Department of Pathophysiology, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium
14h15 Advanced Therapies Regulation - Mr. Nicolas Rossignol, Administrator, DG Enterprise, Belgium
14h45 Requirements for Regulatory Approval - Dr. Patrick Celis, Scientific Administrator, European Medicines Agency, EMEA, UK
15h15 Case TiGenix: Cell Therapy Medicinal Product Development: Beyond the Regulation - Mrs. Nancy Veulemans, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, Tigenix, Belgium
15h45 Coffee break

Session 3: Patents and Stem Cell Research
16h15 Patent Issues and Trends - Dr. Gareth Williams, UK and European Patent Attorney, Marks & Clerk, UK
16h45 Patentability, Scope of Rights and Practical Considerations for Competitive Strategies - Dr. Anne Brown, Senior Director of Intellectual Property, Athersys Inc., USA

Session 4: Keynote - Future Stem Cell Therapy
17h15 Keynote - Future Stem Cell Therapy - Prof. Dr. Catherine Verfaillie, Director Stem Cell Institute Leuven, Belgium
17h45 Questions and Answers
18h00 Closing Reception

Who should attend?
Academics, Biotechnology Sector, Regulatory Affairs, Public Health Policy, Health Care Professionals, Patent Attorneys and Intellectual Property Consultants, Project Managers, Investors interested in Cell Biology or Therapy.

Information and registration
Date: Tuesday December 13, 2005 (8h45-18h00)
Location: Brabanthal, Leuven