Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission partners with NIH, NIST to host symposium on stem cell research

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission (Commission) will host the Third Annual Maryland Stem Cell Research Symposium in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. The symposium, "Facilitating State and National Collaboration to Advance Groundbreaking Life Science Research," will be held at the NIST main campus in Gaithersburg, Md., and will feature research supported by the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) and federal agencies in the state of Maryland. The agenda includes presentations and poster sessions by researchers who have been awarded MSCRF grants over the course of the last four years. This is one of the first events in the U.S. in which both state and federal entities are coming together to address critical issues in stem cell research.

"The Maryland Stem Cell Research Symposium allows our state-funded researchers the opportunity to present their findings and progress to the public," said Governor Martin O'Malley. "It's a proud day for Maryland, and the participation of NIH and NIST is a testament to the quality and direction of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund."

Registration for the event is now open at http://www.mscrf.org. Cost to attend the symposium is $100 per person, and the full-day event runs from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Four sessions will cover the topics of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, stem cells and neurodegenerative diseases and clinical trials with stem cells. The agenda includes opening remarks by Story Landis, Ph.D., Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and head of the Stem Cell Task Force at the NIH, and Willie May, Ph.D., Director of the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory at NIST. The first annual memorial lecture honoring the late John L. Kellermann III - a Commission member and passionate advocate for stem cell and Parkinson's disease research - will be a highlight of the symposium. The Kellermann Memorial Lecture will feature Ted M. Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., Leonard and Madlyn Abramson Professor in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Scientific Director at the Institute for Cell Engineering and Professor for the Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who will discuss emerging research in Parkinson's disease. For a full list of presentations, speakers and a detailed agenda, visit http://www.mscrf.org.  

"This year's symposium will be a major event," said Margaret Conn Himelfarb, MPH, chair of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission. "Our agenda not only highlights the work of Maryland researchers, but provides insight into where this groundbreaking science is headed nationally. We expect a wide range of attendees from scientists to the general public, including medical advocates, economic development officials and key players working to advance stem cell research across the country. This symposium is a rare opportunity for investigators from both the public and private sector to share ideas with one another as well as demonstrate how the MSCRF is helping Maryland become a leader in this critical field."