Emerging treatments for muscle, kidney and heart diseases will be among the stem cell projects showcased at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine in Melbourne.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, is an international consortium that aims to harness human stem cells to improve drug development, develop regenerative therapies and advance gene editing to correct genetic errors that lead to disease.
reNEW’s annual scientific meetings provide a platform for updates on research progress and opportunities for fostering collaborations.
This year’s meeting will be held in Melbourne with Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) hosting international researchers and stakeholders at the opening event on May 27.
It will showcase MCRI’s leading stem cell medicine research, led by Professor Enzo Porrello, the director of the Melbourne node of reNEW.
MCRI director Professor Kathryn North AC will open the event, welcoming researchers from across reNEW Leiden, based at the Leiden University Medical Center and reNEW Copenhagen, based at the University of Copenhagen.
Guests will include Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator CEO Dr Thomas Carlsen, Novo Nordisk Foundation Scientific Manager Dr Isabella Samuelson, San Francisco’s Gladstone Institutes President Professor Deepak Srivastava, and NSW’s Children’s Medical Research Institute Deputy Director Professor Patrick Tam.
reNEW CEO and MCRI Chief Scientist Professor Melissa Little AC said, “The showcase will be an incredible opportunity to gather our international researchers and experts in one room and highlight the breadth and success of stem cell research being conducted at reNEW Melbourne, based at MCRI.
“The event will also demonstrate the strength of our collaborations with The Royal Children's Hospital, which ensures that our research remains centered around the clinical needs of the children and adults who may one day benefit from stem cell based therapies.”