Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Lung Diseases

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Repair and regeneration of diseased lung with stem cells or bioengineered tissue are exciting potential therapeutic approaches for a variety of lung diseases and critical illnesses. Increasing evidence in preclinical models suggests that cells which are not normally resident in the lung can be utilized to modulate immune responses after injury, but there have been challenges in translating these promising findings to the clinic. In parallel, there has been a surge in bioengineering studies investigating use of artificial and acellular lung matrices as scaffolds for three-dimensional lung or airway regeneration, with some recent attempts of transplantation in large animal models. The combination of these studies with those utilizing stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cell derivatives, and/or cell therapies is a promising and rapidly developing research area. These studies have been further paralleled by significant increases in understanding the molecular and cellular events by which endogenous lung stem and/or progenitor cells arise and differentiate during lung development and in normal and pathologic repair and remodeling after lung injury. We have held eight previous biennial conferences at the University of Vermont from 2005 through 2019. These have brought together leading international investigators with junior faculty and trainees to discuss issues in this rapidly moving field. These conferences have been highly successful and have resulted in a series of guidelines for basic, translational, and clinical research to be utilized by both investigators and funding agencies. As studies on stem cell and cell therapies for lung diseases continues to move at a rapid pace and the field explores how to best translate these approaches, we propose to again convene the relevant investigators as well as representatives from the NHLBI, FDA, and leading non-profit respiratory disease foundations to discuss current issues. One area in particular to be discussed is the balance between basic and translational research and the role of clinical trials, particularly as there have now been clinical investigations of various cell types for a number of conditions including ARDS, BPD, COPD, IPF, pulmonary hypertension, sepsis, and more recently COVID-19. As with prior conferences a particular focus will be on rising junior investigators and trainees and how to further develop careers in this area. As always, junior investigators, trainees, and investigators from underrepresented minority groups will be prioritized for inclusion in conference organization, oral presentations, chairing activities, discussions, and poster sessions. Trainees will be able to compete for an increased number of travel awards based on blinded review of submitted abstracts. The conference is planned for July 2021 at the University of Vermont with plans for a switch from a hybrid conference to a fully online conference if necessary due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. We anticipate that this conference will continue to foster extensive discussion and debate and will significantly guide directions in basic, translational, and clinical research of stem cells, cell therapies, and bioengineering approaches for lung diseases.