Pluripotency and Reprogramming Symposium

Date and Time

April 17, 2015
08:30AM - 07:30PM EDT

Location

Broad Institute, Auditorium, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA

Human ​pluripotent ​stem ​cells ​possess ​the ​ability ​to ​self ​renew  ​in ​vitro ​while ​maintaining ​a ​developmental ​plasticity ​that ​is ​ similar ​to ​that ​exhibited ​by ​progenitor ​cells ​of ​the ​very ​ early ​embryo. ​As ​a ​result, ​pluripotent ​stem ​cells ​may ​provide ​ an ​inexhaustible ​supply ​of ​any ​differentiated ​cell ​type ​for ​ both ​in ​vitro ​studies ​of ​disease ​and ​regenerative ​medicine.

The ​discovery ​of ​reprogramming ​methods ​that ​rely ​on ​defined  ​transcription ​factors ​and ​their ​use ​in ​the ​derivation ​of ​ patient-specific ​iPS ​cell ​lines ​have ​greatly ​expanded ​the ​ potential ​utility ​of ​pluripotent ​cells. ​Patient-specific ​iPS ​ cells ​have ​already ​enabled ​in ​vitro ​studies ​of ​diseases ​ including ​spinal ​muscular ​atrophy, ​familial ​dysautonomia ​and ​ LEOPARD ​syndrome. ​Future ​applications ​of ​human ​pluripotent ​stem ​ cell ​lines ​could ​also ​include ​the ​study ​of ​common ​diseases ​ that ​arise ​as ​the ​result ​of ​complex ​interactions ​between ​a ​ patient’s ​genotype ​and ​their ​environment. ​Finally, ​pluripotent ​ cells ​will ​eventually ​serve ​as ​a ​renewable ​source ​of ​both ​ autologous ​cells ​and ​tissue ​for ​transplantation ​and ​regenerative  ​medicine.

Our inaugural symposium will feature world leaders who will describe their latest advances in stem cell biology and reprogramming.

Featured speakers:
Amander Clark
Stephen Dalton
Kevin Eggan
Jacob Hanna
Konrad Hochedlinger
Alexander Meissner
Tarjei Mikkelsen
Huck Hui Ng
Kathrin Plath
John Rinn
Joseph Wu
Ken Zaret
Thomas Zwaka

Registration and more information at broad.io/prs2015