Stem cell symposium to address heart, vascular disease

World leaders in the use of stem cells will gather Wednesday, April 10 at the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute in Fitchburg for the eighth annual Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium, “Cell-Based Therapy for Heart & Vascular Disease: Pathways to Clinic.”

Topics to be discussed include:

• Advances and therapeutic opportunities for somatic and reprogrammed cells for cardiovascular repair.
• Translational and regulatory pathways to the clinic.
• Safe and effective cell delivery approaches.
• The role of industry in shaping the future of cell-based therapy for cardiovascular disease.

Featured presenters include: Brian H. Annex of the University of Virginia; Annarosa Leri of Harvard Medical School; Amit Patel of the University of Utah; Shahin Rafii of Weill Cornell Medical College; Warren Sherman of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; and Brenda Ogle and Amish Raval of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The symposium also includes a roundtable discussion with sponsors of clinical trials, moderated by Derek Hei of UW–Madison and panel members Tara Clark of Miltenyi Biotec, Robert Deans of Athersys, Andrea Hunt of Baxter Healthcare and Sharon Watling of Aastrom Biosciences.

The symposium is co-coordinated by the University of Wisconsin Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center and the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute. These organizations, along with Promega Corporation and WiCell Research Institute, are serving as Platinum Sponsors.

The daylong event, which is open to the public with a registration fee of $90, will be held at Promega’s BioPharmaceutical Technology Center, 5445 E. Cheryl Parkway in Fitchburg.