Future of Regenerative MedicineAdult and Umbilical Cord Blood Stem CellsThe international conference in Bratislava, SlovakiaBRATISLAVA, MAY 2nd, 2012

Dear Fellow Doctors and Colleagues, Dear Friends,

welcome and please accept my cordial invitation to the International Scientific Conference Future of Regenerative Medicine: Adult Stem Cells and Umbilical Cord Blood Stems Cells.

Recently, Slovakia has become more often and with a greater intensity involved in an international cooperation within various fields. Undoubtedly, such exchange of experiences between renowned experts evolves into the growth and development of the society. As a Member of the European Parliament and a medical doctor, in particular, I am enormously pleased to welcome to Slovakia outstanding specialists who will share with us the most modern medical knowledge and treatment methods in the field of adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cells.

Prof. Colin McGuckin´s team from the research institute in Lyon, which I personally visited a year ago, were first in the world to characterise and produce umbilical cord blood stem cells in order to make an artificial nervous, pancreatic, liver and a range of other tissues. Prof. Keith March is a renowned American specialist in the field of cardiovascular medicine and notwithstanding the fact that his research has resulted in more than 40 worldwide patents, he is proud of having the Slovak roots. Neil Scolding is a Burden Professor in Clinical Neuroscience in Bristol where he focuses on developing adult stem cells repair treatments for multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative conditions from the bone marrow.

I am delighted that my fellow colleagues and prestigious specialists from Slovakia, whose work I deeply appreciate, accepted my invitation to speak at the Conference today as well.

Adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cells have unique uses in the regenerative medicine. Numerous patients wait for an effective treatment today. Due to the most modern scientific progress, nowadays in more than seventy diseases medical condition has significantly improved as a consequence of such treatment. The adult stem cells treatment is, therefore, not only hope but the reality! I am convinced that in the future these stem cells will hold a key part in providing the efficient health care services.

May this conference lead to our mutual enrichment and to the return of health to our patients. The health is for each of us priceless!

I am looking forward to your participation!

Yours,

Programme

12:30 - 13:30	Registration of participants
13:30 - 14:00	Welcome and overview of the conference Dr. Miroslav Mikolášik Member of the European Parliament "European Union: Science, Research and Health Priorities"
14:00 - 14:30	prof. Colin McGuckin, PhD President, Cell Therapy Research Institute, Lyon, France "Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine" With 130 million annual births, Umbilical Cord Blood is the world’s most available stem cell source. Transplanted for over 20 years, regenerative medicine is now using cord blood to make the next generation of future medicine. McGuckin’s group made the world’s first artificial stem cell based liver and are now making new treatments for children with Cerebral Palsy.
14:30 - 15:00	prof. Keith March, M.D., PhD Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biomedical Engineering Director, Vascular and Cardiac Center for Adult Stem Cell Therapy, Indiana University, USA "Adipose Stem Cells in Rescue of Angiogenesis & Paracrine Support"
15:00 - 15:30	prof. Neil Scolding, PhD, FRCP University of Bristol Institute of Clinical Neurosciences Department of Neurology, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom "Bone Marrow Stem Cells for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis"
15:30 - 16:00	Coffee break
16:00 - 16:15	Patient testimony
16:15 - 16:30	Mgr. Marína Polonská Cord Blood Registry Coordinator Slovak Placental Stem Cells Registry, Eurocord-Slovakia, Bratislava, Slovakia "The Contribution of Slovakia to Cord Blood Stem Cell Usage for Treatment and Research"
16:30 - 16:45	MVDr. Ján Rosocha, PhD. Head of Associated Tissue Bank University Hospital of L. Pasteur Kosice and Faculty of Medicine UPJŠ, Kosice, Slovakia “Regenerative Medicine in Slovakia – Experience and Future“
16:45 - 16:55	MUDr. Peter Cibur, PhD. Trauma Surgeon, Department of Trauma Surgery University Hospital of L. Pasteur Kosice and Faculty of Medicine UPJŠ, Kosice, Slovakia “Autologous Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Allogenic Bone Grafts in Posttraumatic Bone Defect Treatment”
16:55 - 17:05	MUDr. Juraj Maďarič, PhD. Head of Cardiology and Angiology Department Cardiology Clinic NÚSCH, Inc., and LF SZU, Bratislava,Slovakia "Autologous Bone-Marrow Cells Delivery in Patients with Advanced Critical Limb Ischemia"
17:05 - 17:15	prof. RNDr. Ján Vojtaššák, PhD. Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia Faculty of Health and Social Works, Trnava University in Trnava, Slovakia "Autologous Stem Cells and Their Use in Stomatosurgery"
17:15 - 17:25	Mgr. Jana Dragúňová, PhD. Department of Burns and Reconstructive Surgery, Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine, Bratislava,Slovakia prof. MUDr. Andrej Černák, DrSc. Professor and Head of Department of Ophthalmology Slovak Medical University Bratislava, Slovakia "“Limbal Stem Cells Cultivation for Corneal Surface Reconstruction- 5 Year Experience”
17:25 - 18:00	Discussion
18:00	Conclusion and closing remarks by M. Mikolášik MEP

Speakers

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prof. Colin McGuckin, PhD.

President and Director, Cell Therapy Research Institute, Lyon, France

After finishing his PhD (DPhil) on leukaemia research in 1991 in Ireland, Colin completed early research at St George’s Hospital Medical School (London) Dept of Haematology working on Chronic Anaemia’s & Stem Cell Disorders. In 1996 he became Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at Kingston University and Associate Professor in 2001. In 1999, he founded and became Director of the Stem Cell Therapy Laboratory specialising in Stem Cell Research and regenerative medicine. In 2005 he was appointed the UK’s first Professor of Regenerative Medicine (Newcastle University), leading clinical research in adult stem cells through to patients.

He strongly believes in international cooperation and collaboration working internationally and with industry. In 2008 he co-founded the Novus Sanguis charitable consortium for “Responsible Regenerative Medicine”, providing grant funding internationally in adult stem cells. In January 2009 he became the President of the Cell Therapy Research Institute, Lyon, France, an Adult Stem Cell centre. Professor McGuckin’s group were first in the world to characterise and produce embryonic-like stem cells from a non- embryonic source - Umbilical Cord Blood. (McGuckin et al, Cell Proliferation, 38, 245- 255, 2005). They are also first to make an artificial liver and nervous, pancreatic and a range of other tissues from Umbilical Cord, Cord Blood, and Adipose related stem cells. Pr McGuckin is on the editorial board of 6 international journals, international reviewer [Eg. European Commission}, and an advisor to several medical and science organisations. He has been invited to speak internationally, including European Parliament, Bundestag German Parliament, Austrian Parliament, French Senate, the Vatican, Rome, and the US Senate on Capitol Hill.

His group are currently pioneering some new treatments for children with Cerebral Palsy and Cleft Palate birth disorders. We aim to bring stem cell therapies to all sections of the world’s community without geoeconomical boundaries and support projects in the third world. We believe strongly that stem cell treatments have to be made available to the whole planet, not just to limited countries.

c.mcguckin@conoworld.com
www.facebook.com/ctilyon

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prof. Keith L. March, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. March is a professor in the department of Medicine, Cellular and Integrative Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Indiana University School of Medicine. He directs the Indiana Centre for Vascular Biology and Medicine, the Vascular and Cardiac Centre of Adult Stem Cell Therapy, and the allied VA Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Indianapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Centre.

Dr. March has dedicated his career to bringing new medical approaches to patients. His publications include more than 110 manuscripts. He was editor of the first book dedicated to cardiovascular gene transfer. Dr. March's research has resulted in more than 40 worldwide (23 U.S.) patents, with others pending. He invented the Closer, a suture- mediated closure device, used to close the puncture wound in an artery following heart catheterization, used in about 400,000 patients annually.

His laboratory focuses on vascular biology, with particular emphasis on function and translational study of stem cells found in adipose tissue, which his laboratory identified as peri-vascular cells with critical roles in vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and adipose tissue regulation. Dr. March is recognized as a leading expert in the field of adult stem cell research, particularly involving adipose-derived stromal stem cells. In 2008, he became Chair of the NIH/NHLBI DSMB that oversees cell therapy trials in the areas of heart, lung, and blood diseases.

In 2010, he established the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the Indianapolis VA Medical Centre, the first VA-sited Centre dedicated specifically to moving adult stem cell therapies from the laboratory into patients.

In addition to his research roles, Dr. March has served as president (since 2007) of the International Federation of Adipose Therapeutics and Science and serves as the chief medical advisor for the Cell Therapy Foundation. In both affiliations, he has worked to advance collaboration as well as awareness about stem cells.

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prof. Neil Scolding Ph.D.

Dr. Scolding trained in medicine in Cardiff and in clinical neurology in Cardiff, Cambridge (Addenbrooke's) and London (National Hospital for Neurology). He was a consultant lecturer in Cambridge before going to Bristol in 1999 as foundation chairholder of Burden Professorship of Clinical Neuroscience. His clinical interests and research centre on clinical and biological aspects of multiple sclerosis and related inflammatory diseases and on developing adult stem cell repair treatments for multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative conditions. He has published over 200 research papers and three neurology textbooks, and has written in the lay press on assisted suicide, euthanasia, and human embryo research.

He is currently a member of the Medical Research Council Neurosciences Panel, a guarantor of the neurology journal, Brain, and a member of the editorial board of several other journals. He is a member of Council of the Association of British Neurologists and has served in the past as secretary of the United Kingdom Neurology Specialty Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians/Joint Committee for Higher Medical Training, and executive committee member of the European Council for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis. He is a former chairman of the Governing Board of the Linacre Centre for Healthcare Ethics.

NH Gate One

Registration

Register for the conference by completing a short registration form and then sending to the e-mail address: kancelaria@mikolasik.sk

You are kindly requested to register as soon as possible; please note that registrations will be accepted until APRIL, 23rd 2012 Important notice: No Conference Registration Fee is requested.

Contacts

Office of Miroslav Mikolášik
Member of the European Parliament (EPP)
Namestie A. Hlinku 60
034 01 Ruzomberok

kancelaria@mikolasik.sk | conference.mikolasik.sk