Stem Cells and Immunity (Malaysia)

01 October 2009

Kuala Lumper Convention Centre, Malaysia

Organised by the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories (Victoria, Australia)

Registration and abstract submissions are now welcome for the Stem Cells and Immunity 2009 Conference. To register please click here.

While stem cells and the immune system have been clearly recognised as important fields of research endeavour in their own right, it is now emerging that there is a fundamentally important, synergistic link between these two important disciplines.

Stem cell therapies, unless derived from the patient themselves, will be confronted by a hostile immune system trying to reject them. However the immune system itself undergoes major age-related degeneration, which is exacerbated by eg chemotherapy and radiotherapy; stem cells are required to rejuvenate this lost immunity. Furthermore it is now clear that mesenchymal stem cells have very potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties – do they compromise desired immune responses to eg infections and cancer? Do they paralyse innate immunity at the site of antigen encounter?

This conference, which recognises the importance of the interface between stem cells and immune system, provides a broad-based platform to address these issues. It not only brings together world-renowned researchers, but also links their clinical translation opportunities to patients and their advocacy groups and commercial interests.

Topics to be covered: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, SCNT, iPS, neonatal stem cells (eg blood, mesenchymal and amniotic) and their relevance to, regenerative medicine, abnormal fetal development, cancer, immune tolerance, autoimmunity, infections, vaccine responses.

The meeting will also cover stem cell banking, processing and clinical delivery.

This conference will also engage the Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research (ASSCR) and SNAP. We hope to see you there. Abstract submissions are welcomed and preliminary expressions of interest encouraged.

To learn more visit the conference website: http://www.stemcellimmunity2009.org/