Symposium- Advances in Stem Cell Transplantation

描述（由申请人提供）：1992年，加州圣地亚哥大学在圣地亚哥发起了这个年度国际研究研讨会。 自1998年以来，该计划[现在由海德堡大学共同赞助]，交替地点，以便每隔一年在德国举行。 2003年的计划是在圣地亚哥，加利福尼亚州，在那里参加者获得CME信贷。 这次会议之所以具有吸引力，是因为它是基于学术界和生物医学/工业界的科学家和临床医生之间交流的创新思想。 干细胞技术已经发展，造血细胞移植成为各种恶性和遗传性疾病的标准疗法。 过去，大多数成功的移植都是在55岁以下的患者中进行的。 目前的进展已经大大扩大了这些程序的安全性，使非清髓性移植可以在75岁以下的患者中相对安全地进行。 认识到免疫系统在控制恶性疾病中的重要性，免疫疗法继续报道重大进展。 造血干细胞治疗提供了一个平台，在其上证明其疗效。 非清髓性移植可能允许干细胞移植的创新方法，包括串联自体移植以实现细胞减少，然后进行非清髓性同种异体移植以实现同种异体细胞的免疫增强作用。 干细胞生物学领域的一个令人兴奋的发展是观察到造血干细胞可能能够转分化成其他组织类型。 造血干细胞分化为肝细胞、肌细胞、神经元、上皮细胞和内皮细胞的报道在国际上引起了极大的兴趣。 这些发现表明，造血干细胞可能是治疗各种疾病的重要工具，有助于受损组织的重建。 鉴于目前全国对干细胞研究和临床应用的争论，造血干细胞在再生医学中的潜在作用具有深远的重要性。 支持性治疗的进展，包括真菌病和移植物抗宿主病的诊断和治疗，极大地促进了干细胞移植日益成功的结果。 这些问题和其他问题构成了将于2003年5月举行的第11届国际干细胞移植研讨会的主要焦点。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In 1992, The University of California San Diego initiated this annual international research symposium in San Diego. Since 1998, the program [now jointly sponsored by the University of Heidelberg], alternated locations so that it is held every other year in Germany. The 2003 program is scheduled in San Diego, CA, where participants receive CME credit. This meeting flourishes because it is based on the exchange of innovative ideas shared among scientists and clinicians from academia and the biomedical/industrial community. Stem cell technology has evolved, with hematopoietic cell transplantation becoming standard therapy for various malignant and hereditary diseases. In the past, most successful transplants were conducted in patients under the age of 55 years. Current advances have significantly broadened the safety of these procedures, so that non-myeloablative transplants can be performed with relative safety in patients up to 75 years of age. Recognizing the importance of the immune system in controlling malignant disease, major advances continue to be reported in immunotherapy. Hematopoietic stem cell therapy provides a platform on which to demonstrate its efficacy. Non myeloablative transplants may permit innovative approaches to stem cell transplantation including tandem autologous transplantation to achieve cytoreduction followed by non-myeloablative allogeneic transplants to achieve the immunotherapeutic effect of the allogeneic cells. An exciting development in the field of stem cell biology has been the observation that hematopoietic stem cells may be capable of trans-differentiation into other tissue types. Reports of hematopoietic stem cells differentiating into hepatocytes, myocytes, neurons, and epithelial and endothelial cells have stimulated intense interest internationally. These findings suggest that hematopoietic stem cells may be important tools for the treatment of a variety of disease conditions by aiding in the repopulating of damaged tissues. Given the current national debate on stem cell research and clinical applications, the potential role of hematopoietic stem cells in regenerative medicine has profound importance. Advances in supportive care, including the diagnosis and treatment of fungal disease and graft vs. host disease, contribute greatly to the increasingly successful outcomes of stem cell transplantation. These issues and others form the major focus on the 11th International Stem Cell Transplantation symposium to be held in May 2003.