Advances in Stem Cell Research

6-7 April 2005, University of Milano

Conference sponsors

EuroStemCell, University of Milano , Fondazione Cariplo, Biorep, Sapio Industrie

Countries represented
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, UK, Ukraine, USA

Conference themes

• Patients' perspectives
• The potential of stem cell research
• Ethical aspects of stem cell research
• Application of stem cell research to neurodegenerative diseases
• Stem cell biotechnology
• Stem cells from the hematopoeietic (blood) system
• Myogenic (muscle) stem cells

Download conference programme (PDF file, 194KB)

Conference report

More than 300 delegates gathered in Milan on 6-7 April 2005, to get the inside story on the current state of stem cell research. “Advances in Stem Cell Research” took a well-rounded look at this often controversial topic.

The conference was a joint initiative of the University of Milano and EuroStemCell and attracted registrations from scientific institutes, the media, patient groups, the public sector, doctors, ethicists, science communicators, bioindustry representatives and students.

Filippo Buccella, President of the Duchenne Parent Project, reminded scientists that in building the foundations for regenerative medicine they were “future builders”. “We should work together,” he said, “to develop the best approach.” Others spoke about the ethical issues that surround stem cell research, and the political complexity of working in an area of research that has divided Europe . The laws governing stem cell research in Germany , for example, are much more restrictive than those in the UK .

Professor Austin Smith , EuroStemCell's Edinburgh-based co-ordinator, explained the scientific importance of pan-European collaboration: 

We are collaborating at a European level to better understand both fundamental and applied stem cell biology. We still have much to learn about stem cells, and they have much to teach us about repair and regeneration of the human body. We need to look in an unbiased way at all types of stem cells – embryonic, foetal and adult – to realise their full potential.

Keynote speaker and advisor to EuroStemCell, Professor Ron McKay (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA ) also spoke about the promise of stem cell research:

Stem cells are helping us to develop a deep new insight into how cells work. We can use them to model diseases, understand them better, and potentially develop new treatments.

In-depth sessions explored the application of stem cell research to diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Parkinson's disease), muscular dystrophies and leukaemia.

EuroStemCell is an Integrated Project of the European Union's Sixth Framework Programme. It falls within the priority on Life Sciences, Genomics, and Biotechnology for Health, which aims to advance medicine and quality of life for European citizens.

EuroStemCell's next public conference will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland, in September 2006.

Selected media coverage (links will open in a new window)

Capital experts share stem cell findings in Italy

Stem Cell Researchers in Milan for Stem Cell Conference

Scientists in Milan for stem cell conference

Embrioni, la speranza per chi soffre (PDF file, 201 KB)

Download conference press release (PDF file, 188KB)