Weissman Will Speak to Nation's Top Scientists About Stem Cell Research.STANFORD, Calif. -- Reporters are invited to attend a lecture by stem cell stem cell In living organisms, an undifferentiated cell that can produce other cells that eventually make up specialized tissues and organs. There are two major types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. expert Irving Weissman, MD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford University School of Medicine is affiliated with Stanford University and is located at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California, adjacent to Palo Alto and Menlo Park. , who will share his perspective on stem cell research with some of the nation's top scientists. The event will take place Feb. 26 at a meeting of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences that will be held on the Stanford campus. The lecture begins at 5 p.m. at the Faculty Club. Weissman is the director of Stanford's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. His talk, titled "Stem cells: Politics and promise" will cover the state of adult and embryonic stem cell Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of an early stage embryo known as a blastocyst. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4-5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50-150 cells. ES cells are pluripotent. research. Weissman's own work is with adult stem cells, primarily of the blood but also of the brain. He thinks these cells have enormous potential for treating disease. Blood-forming stem cells are already in use for cancer treatment. Other researchers at Stanford and elsewhere are working with the more controversial embryonic stem cells. Weissman will discuss the research now under way, and the possibility for future therapeutic uses of these cells. He'll also give an overview of the political landscape of embryonic stem cell research in the United States. Leslie Berlowitz, PhD, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of the academy, will welcome members. Following her greeting, Stanford President John Hennessy, PhD, will introduce Weissman. The meeting is intended for fellows of the academy. Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. With headquarters in Cambridge, Mass., the academy's work is advanced by its 4,600 elected members, who are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business and public affairs from around the world. Members of the media who wish to attend should RSVP (ReSerVation Protocol) A communications protocol that signals a router to reserve bandwidth for real time transmission. RSVP is designed to clear a path for audio and video traffic, eliminating annoying skips and hesitations. to Amy Adams at amyadams@stanford.edu. Stanford University Medical Center Stanford University Medical Center (Stanford Hospital & Clinics) is one of four hospitals affiliated with Stanford University and Stanford University School of Medicine, along with the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, and Santa integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions -- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) is a hospital located on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, California. It is staffed by over 650 physicians and 4,750 staff and volunteers. at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center's Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu. |
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