First EuroSTELLS Conference "General Biology of Stem Cell Systems"
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Venice, Italy, 19-21 March 2006
This conference featured the latest developments in the following areas:
• Embryonic Stem Cells and Germ line;
• Epigenetics and Cell Reprogramming;
• Neural Stem Cells;
• Somatic Stem Cells.
The goal of this conference was to establish a stable European forum of stem cell researchers by fostering synergy with other European and international initiatives in the stem cell field. To this end, keynote speakers included representatives of the EuroStemCell consortium, the International Stem Cell Initiative, the NIH initiative and the Director of the UK Stem Cell Bank as well as the Project Leaders of the pan-European Collaborative Research Projects funded under the EuroSTELLS Programme.
Media coverage:
Stem cells: between fact and fantasy
Brain cells tested in car-manufacturing plants, frog extracts to aid cloning, and new teeth for toothless gums. All these projects have stem cells in common. The first EuroSTELLS conference held in Venice, Italy (19-21 March) brought together EUROCORES-funded scientists to debate these and other findings from this emerging field, in a realistic and sensible way.
Clues to breast cancer hidden inside stem cells
Stem cells and how to boost them is hot on the research agenda. But stopping them could be critical too, as evidence implicating stem cells in cancer is mounting.
Testes to incubate stem cells
Sperm-producing stem cells found in testicles could be extracted, grown in the lab, and frozen for future use. A team in the Netherlands has successfully harvested spermatogonial stem cells from cows and cultured them inside mouse testes. The hope is that the same thing could be done for men. These findings were announced at the recent EuroSTELLS conference in Venice.
