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Stem Cells: A Pathway Through the Maze

 
  March 30, 2009  
     
 
Continuing Professional Development , Oxford
10th -12th December 2009


Day 1: Morning Session - Basic Concepts in Stem Cell Biology

Lecture 1 - Stem Cells: Definitions and Principles

  • Defining features of a stem cell: self-renewal vs asymmetric cell division
  • Differentiation and the role of transit amplifying cells
  • Transdifferentiation: Fact or Artefact?
  • Stem cell quiescence as a counterbalance to exhaustion
Dr Paul Fairchild, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford

Lecture 2 - Pluripotency: Molecular Mechanisms

  • Definitions: totipotency, pluripotency and multipotency
  • The transience of pluripotency during embryogenesis
  • Role of transcription factors: Oct4 and Nanog
  • Assays of pluripotency and issues for the definition of human ES cells
Prof Elizabeth Robertson, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford

Lecture 3 - The Stem Cell Niche

  • The dominant nature of the niche and the control of stem cells homeostasis
  • The role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors
  • The importance of the plane of cell division in self renewal and differentiation
  • Examples of the niche: primordial germ cells vs the crypt of Lieberkuhn
Dr Carolyn Carr, Dept of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford

Lecture 4 - Cancer Stem Cells: A new Paradigm

  • The concept of the cancer stem cell
  • Susceptibility of adult stem cells to transformation
  • Evidence of the cancer stem cell from leukaemia, ovarian and prostate cancer
  • Novel therapies that target the cancer stem cell
Prof Tariq Enver, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford

Lecture 5 - Dedifferentiation and Induced Pluripotency

  • Dedifferentiation and Induced Pluripotency
  • Dedifferentiation in vitro and in vivo
  • Case studies of dedifferentiation: oligodendrocytes vs myocytes
  • Induced pluripotency: the role of specific transcription factors
  • Demonstration of induced pluripotency in mouse and man
Dr Ashleigh Boyd, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford

Day 1: Afternoon Session - Stem Cell Populations: Adult versus Embryonic

Lecture 1 - Haematopoietic Stem Cells

  • Haematopoietic Stem Cells
  • Phenotype and properties of HSC
  • The HSC niche: vascular vs osteoblastic
  • Differentiation and cell fate determination
  • Therapeutic opportunities: hematological malignancies and primary immune deficiencies
Dr Neil Rodrigues, Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford

Lecture 2 - Mesenchymal Stem Cells

  • Isolation, culture and phenotype of MSC
  • Properties and function of MSC in vivo
  • Immunosuppressive properties of MSC
  • Therapeutic opportunities: eg lysosomal storage diseases and Osteogenesis imperfecta
Prof Jim Triffitt, Nuffield Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Oxford

Lecture 3 - Neural Stem Cells

  • Identification of NSC and their anatomical locations
  • Differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo
  • Anatomical integration of NSC-derived neurons
  • Therapeutic opportunities: Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury
Dr Francis Szele, Dept of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford

Lecture 4 - Cardiac Stem Cells

  • Isolation, culture and characterisation of cardiac stem cells
  • Differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo
  • Anatomical and electrical integration into cardiac muscle
  • Therapeutic opportunities: myocardial infarction
Prof Kieran Clarke, Dept of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford

Lecture 5 - Embryonic Stem Cells

  • Derivation of ES cells and their properties
  • ES cell culture and the maintenance of pluripotency
  • Embryoid body formation during differentiation
  • Assays of pluripotency: chimera and teratoma formation
Dr Frances Brook, Nuffield Dept of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford

Day 2: Morning Session - Applied Topics in Stem Cell Biology

Lecture 1 - Practicalities of Stem Cell Culture

  • Difficulties of maintaining hESC and the problems of scale-up
  • Enzymatic vs non-enzymatic approaches
  • Use of the ROCK inhibitor
  • Feeder-free cultures
  • Assessment of pluripotency by expression of Oct4 etc
Dr Kate Silk, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford

Lecture 2 - Medical Applications of Stem Cell Biology

  • History of stem cell therapy: the story of bone marrow transplantation
  • Use of ES cells for toxicology or as vehicles for gene therapy
  • Cell replacement therapy: successes and persistent obstacles
  • Induced pluripotency: future prospects for therapy
Prof Len Seymour, Dept of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Oxford

Lecture 3 - Cord Blood Stem Cells: Certainties and Controversies

  • Phenotype and biology of cord blood stem cells
  • Controversies surrounding their pluripotency
  • Banking of cord blood as a future source of stem cells
  • Medical applications of cord blood stem cells
Prof Suzanne Watt, Nuffield Dept of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford

Lecture 4 - Taming the Immune System to Tolerate Stem Cell Grafts

  • The basic immunology of rejection
  • Immunogenicity of ES cells and their progeny
  • Acquired immune privilege of ES cell-derived tissues
  • Strategies for the induction of immunological tolerance
Dr Paul Fairchild, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford

Lecture 5 - Advances in Tissue Engineering

  • Automation in stem cell culture
  • Oxygen tension as an important variable in stem cell culture
  • The design of 3-dimensional scaffolds
  • Successes in tissue engineering: heart values, ears and bladder
Prof Jan Czernuszka, Dept of Materials, University of Oxford

Day 2: Afternoon Session - Regulatory and Ethical Issues

Lecture 1 - Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Stem Cell Biology

  • A survey of legislative frameworks: USA, Germany and South Korea
  • Current UK legislation and the role of the HFEA
  • Recent parliamentary bills on cybrid technology and saviour siblings
  • The role of the National Stem Cell Bank
Dr Glyn Stacey, UK Stem Cell Bank, South Mimms

Lecture 2 - The Ethics of Cloning and Stem Cell Research

  • The problems of media hype and public perception of stem cell biology
  • Derivation of ES cells: a necessary evil?
  • Therapeutic vs reproductive cloning: where do we draw the line?
  • ES cell-derived gametes and the ethics of induced pluripotency
Dr Matthew Liao, Programme on Ethics of the New Biosciences, University of Oxford

Lecture 3 - Open Discussion of Ethical Issues

  • Open discussion session
Dr Matthew Liao, Programme on Ethics of the New Biosciences, University of Oxford

Lecture 4 - Intellectual Property Rights and Patenting Issues

  • The complexities of patenting in the stem cell arena
  • Differences between US, European and Australian perspectives
  • Case study: the WARF patents for hES cells
  • A survey of current patents in the stem cell field
Dr Lee Chapman, J A Kemp & Co Chartered Patent Attorneys, London

Lecture 5 - Commercialisation of Stem Cell Biology

  • The ageing population and the market for stem cell therapies
  • Current obstacles to the clinical implementation of stem cell therapies
  • Risk stacking: technological, regulatory and market risks
  • Current contenders in the race for therapeutic opportunities
Prof Chris Mason, Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing Unit, UCL

Content subject to change

 
 
Organized by: University of Oxford CPD Centre
Invited Speakers: Various, see program details
 
Deadline for Abstracts: na
 
Registration: Please visit http://cpd.conted.ox.ac.uk/biosci158
E-mail: cpdbio@conted.ox.ac.uk
 
   
 
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