Stem Cells: A Pathway Through the Maze
10 - 11 December 2009 - this course is now full
Twenty lecture and discussion sessions over two days which bring together eighteen of the leading experts in the field to explore this cutting-edge technology.
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About the course
Few topics have captured the imagination of the general public quite as dramatically as stem cells, both for the potential they offer regenerative medicine and the ethical sensitivities they create.
This two-day course is intended to dispel the myths behind stem cell biology and introduce delegates to the science behind the headlines, the pitfalls as well as the promises. Although the course will assume basic knowledge of the biomedical sciences, no previous understanding of stem cell biology will be required.
What people say about the course
| "Well-organised, very valuable and scientifically interesting. Gives materials for future in-depth study." Carla Martino, Scientific Administrator, The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) |
| "Fantastic review of current status of field in an informative and understandable format." Rebecca Dias, Head of In Vivo Pharmacology, Pfizer Ltd |
The course will begin by introducing key concepts in the field which will form the basis for exploring the properties of selected populations of adult and embryonic stem cells.
Day two will be devoted to applied topics that are essential to the therapeutic application of stem cell biology before focussing on ethical and regulatory issues and surveying the landscape for patenting and marketing of stem cell therapies.
The taught component of the course will draw on the varied expertise available within the University of Oxford, with contributions from outside experts, where appropriate.
This course is led by Dr Paul Fairchild, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford.
Who is it for?
The course is likely to appeal to research scientists from either industrial or academic sectors, considering entering the stem cell field, together with PhD students wishing to gain a thorough understanding of the field at the outset of their studies.
Furthermore, the course may prove beneficial for healthcare professionals, wishing to explore the likely influence that stem cell biology will have on the practice of medicine in the future, as well as those working for regulatory bodies or in related fields such as journalism, for which a firm understanding of the principles of stem cell biology may facilitate future coverage of developments in the field.
“The course is designed for those who have no prior knowledge or understanding of stem cells, so as to provide as broad an overview of the subject as possible. This will include not only the science underlying the subject but related issues such as the ethics and regulatory infrastructure and commercialisation of regenerative medicine.
Many of the lecturers will undoubtedly present some of their more cutting-edge insights which will, we hope, be of interest to those with a particular interest in the field and who already come with specialist knowledge. In essence, we therefore hope to cater for the range of people we anticipate will be attracted to the course.” Dr Paul Fairchild, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford
Course schedule and content
The content below is provisional and may be subject to some minor updates.
Day 1: Morning Session - Basic Concepts in Stem Cell Biology
Lecture 1 - Stem Cells: Definitions and Principles
- Defining features of a stem cell: self-renewal vs asymmetric cell division
- Differentiation and the role of transit amplifying cells
- Transdifferentiation: Fact or Artefact?
- Stem cell quiescence as a counterbalance to exhaustion
Lecture 2 - Pluripotency: Molecular Mechanisms
- Definitions: totipotency, pluripotency and multipotency
- The transience of pluripotency during embryogenesis
- Role of transcription factors: Oct4 and Nanog
- Assays of pluripotency and issues for the definition of human ES cells
Lecture 3 - The Stem Cell Niche
- The dominant nature of the niche and the control of stem cells homeostasis
- The role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors
- The importance of the plane of cell division in self renewal and differentiation
- Examples of the niche: primordial germ cells vs the crypt of Lieberkuhn
Lecture 4 - Cancer Stem Cells: A new Paradigm
- The concept of the cancer stem cell
- Susceptibility of adult stem cells to transformation
- Evidence of the cancer stem cell from leukaemia, ovarian and prostate cancer
- Novel therapies that target the cancer stem cell
Lecture 5 - Dedifferentiation and Induced Pluripotency
- Dedifferentiation and Induced Pluripotency
- Dedifferentiation in vitro and in vivo
- Case studies of dedifferentiation: oligodendrocytes vs myocytes
- Induced pluripotency: the role of specific transcription factors
- Demonstration of induced pluripotency in mouse and man
Day 1: Afternoon Session - Stem Cell Populations: Adult versus Embryonic
Lecture 1 - Haematopoietic Stem Cells
- Haematopoietic Stem Cells
- Phenotype and properties of HSC
- The HSC niche: vascular vs osteoblastic
- Differentiation and cell fate determination
- Therapeutic opportunities: hematological malignancies and primary immune deficiencies
Lecture 2 - Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- Isolation, culture and phenotype of MSC
- Properties and function of MSC in vivo
- Immunosuppressive properties of MSC
- Therapeutic opportunities: eg lysosomal storage diseases and Osteogenesis imperfecta
Lecture 3 - Neural Stem Cells
- Identification of NSC and their anatomical locations
- Differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo
- Anatomical integration of NSC-derived neurons
- Therapeutic opportunities: Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury
Lecture 4 - Cardiac Stem Cells
- Isolation, culture and characterisation of cardiac stem cells
- Differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo
- Anatomical and electrical integration into cardiac muscle
- Therapeutic opportunities: myocardial infarction
Lecture 5 - Embryonic Stem Cells
- Derivation of ES cells and their properties
- ES cell culture and the maintenance of pluripotency
- Embryoid body formation during differentiation
- Assays of pluripotency: chimera and teratoma formation
Day 2: Morning Session - Applied Topics in Stem Cell Biology
Lecture 1 - Practicalities of Stem Cell Culture
- Difficulties of maintaining hESC and the problems of scale-up
- Enzymatic vs non-enzymatic approaches
- Use of the ROCK inhibitor
- Feeder-free cultures
- Assessment of pluripotency by expression of Oct4 etc
Lecture 2 - Medical Applications of Stem Cell Biology
- History of stem cell therapy: the story of bone marrow transplantation
- Use of ES cells for toxicology or as vehicles for gene therapy
- Cell replacement therapy: successes and persistent obstacles
- Induced pluripotency: future prospects for therapy
Lecture 3 - Cord Blood Stem Cells: Certainties and Controversies
- Phenotype and biology of cord blood stem cells
- Controversies surrounding their pluripotency
- Banking of cord blood as a future source of stem cells
- Medical applications of cord blood stem cells
Lecture 4 - Taming the Immune System to Tolerate Stem Cell Grafts
- The basic immunology of rejection
- Immunogenicity of ES cells and their progeny
- Acquired immune privilege of ES cell-derived tissues
- Strategies for the induction of immunological tolerance
Lecture 5 - Advances in Tissue Engineering
- Automation in stem cell culture
- Oxygen tension as an important variable in stem cell culture
- The design of 3-dimensional scaffolds
- Successes in tissue engineering: heart values, ears and bladder
Day 2: Afternoon Session - Regulatory and Ethical Issues
Lecture 1 - Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Stem Cell Biology
- A survey of legislative frameworks: USA, Germany and South Korea
- Current UK legislation and the role of the HFEA
- Recent parliamentary bills on cybrid technology and saviour siblings
- The role of the National Stem Cell Bank
Lecture 2 - The Ethics of Cloning and Stem Cell Research
- The problems of media hype and public perception of stem cell biology
- Derivation of ES cells: a necessary evil?
- Therapeutic vs reproductive cloning: where do we draw the line?
- ES cell-derived gametes and the ethics of induced pluripotency
Lecture 3 - Open Discussion of Ethical Issues
- Open discussion session
Lecture 4 - Intellectual Property Rights and Patenting Issues
- The complexities of patenting in the stem cell arena
- Differences between US, European and Australian perspectives
- Case study: the WARF patents for hES cells
- A survey of current patents in the stem cell field
Lecture 5 - Commercialisation of Stem Cell Biology
- The ageing population and the market for stem cell therapies
- Current obstacles to the clinical implementation of stem cell therapies
- Risk stacking: technological, regulatory and market risks
- Current contenders in the race for therapeutic opportunities
Content subject to change
| "An excellent overview of the field." Una Riekstina, University of Latvia |
| "An interesting and stimulating course - helps me understand the current position of stem cell research." Pilar Vazquez, D.Phil student, University of Oxford |
Venue
Department for Continuing Education, Rewley House, Oxford
First day registration from 8.30am when course materials will be distributed.
Refreshments from 8.30am on the first day plus two tea/coffee breaks during the day and a lunch break.
The course will begin at 9.00am and end at approximately 5.20pm on each day.
Certification
Delegates will receive a University of Oxford Certificate of Attendance.
Fee options
£870 - standard course fee.
£783 - 10% discount course fee for all other full-time students.
£696 - 20% discount course fee for Oxford University staff and students.
Fees include course materials, tuition, refreshments and lunches. The price does not include accommodation.
How to apply
If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application
process before applying, please contact:
Emma Haslam (Course Administrator) - Tel: +44 (0)1865 286958 - Email: cpdbio@conted.ox.ac.uk
If you would like to pay using a company purchase order / bank transfer, please see the guidance notes below.
Guidance
Notes (important: please read before applying)
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